


Beyond the Clouds

by SassySnowperson (DramaticEntrance)



Category: Star Wars Original Trilogy
Genre: Biggs Darklighter Lives, Friends to Lovers, Multi, Mutual Pining, Polyamory, Post-Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Pre-Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, Tatooine Cultural Discussions, mentions of canonical injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-17
Updated: 2018-11-17
Packaged: 2019-08-25 02:48:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 23,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16652836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DramaticEntrance/pseuds/SassySnowperson
Summary: Luke is left reeling after nearly dying by his own father's blade. His pride is wounded, his dreams are shattered, his friend is frozen in carbonite. The only bright spot in these bleak days is one Lando Calrissian, whose easy charm and comforting presence do a lot to ease Luke's mind.Unbeknownst to Luke, there's more good news waiting, though this particular bit of joy will make certain things a great deal more complicated…Lando paused. "So, if you'll forgive the vain questions, what are the similarities?"Luke smiled, thinking of his first friend. "Well, let's see. You both have enough charisma to sell sand to a Jawa. Flirt as naturally as breathing." Luke reached over, laid a hand on Lando's jaw and ran his thumb across Lando's mustache, skin brushing over Lando's lips as it went. The sensation stayed long after Luke dropped his hand and said, "He even had the same mustache and fondness for capes."Lando, still lost in the sensation, took a minute to say, "Well, it certainly sounds like you have a type."





	Beyond the Clouds

**Author's Note:**

  * For [StaringAtTheTwinSuns](https://archiveofourown.org/users/StaringAtTheTwinSuns/gifts).



> This was written for the [Star Wars Rare Pairs Exchange 2018](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/swrarepairs2018). I was thrilled to be matched on this pairing, it gave me an excuse to look at the dynamics between three men I've always found interesting parallels between. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy!
> 
> A million, million thanks to my beta and cheerleader, who gently encouraged this fic into reality.

* * *

Luke slashed out with his right arm, his lightsaber's green blade meeting the training droid's blaster bolts. He reflected back one, then two, and then the third struck the hand, which spasmed, dropping the 'saber.

Luke hissed in disappointment, reaching down to grab the metal shaft in his left hand, not trusting the hand on his right. New blade, new hand, all disorienting. 

To say it had been a difficult year would be an understatement. Luke Skywalker glanced down at the hand, fused to the stump of his arm. Sooner or later he was going to have to start thinking of it as his hand. But he couldn't, not yet. _His_ hand had been lost, taken, by the monster Vader.

By his father.

The hand spasmed again.

It was impossible. To think about. To discuss. He hadn't told anyone what Vader told him. Who could he have even shared that with? 

The Rogues, maybe? His men, his brothers, his rocks when he had been reeling after Yavin. After losing his aunt, his uncle, the man who might have been a mentor, the other man who might have been his lover. Lost all that and then been thrust into the spotlight. The Rogues had helped to get him through.

And he had left them to chase the Jedi dream. He couldn't go whining to them now that the dream had turned to ash.

Leia, possibly. His best friend, his inspiration, _his person_ in a way that nobody else quite seemed to be. She had comforted him even while mourning her own homeworld. But now?

Han too was lost, taken. And Leia was retreating into plans and strategies, hunting down hope with furious tenacity. He couldn't bring himself to burden her further.

Luke rubbed the hand, hoping to ease some of the overexcited circuits. 

"You look exhausted," a voice called from the doorway.

Luke glanced up, finding Lando Calrissian draped against the door, cape hanging artfully behind him.

A smile came to Luke's face, unbidden. Lando's elegance seemed a natural part of his form. He wondered how many times the younger Lando had practiced the carefully casual pose so that now he could reap the rewards without trying. "I am exhausted," Luke admitted, the vulnerability coming easier with Lando than it had with anyone else.

Lando had already seen him on his worst day. He had seen Luke broken, bleeding, shaken body and soul. Luke had been was dying, and while it was Leia's mind that had called to him, it was Lando's hands that had caught him.

There wasn't really a point to fussing about not looking tired.

Lando took Luke's response as the invitation it was, strolling into the practice room and gesturing at Luke's prosthetic hand. "You're working it too hard."

"A Jedi who can't fight isn't going to be much use to anyone." Luke gave a self-depreciating grin.

"And a Jedi who's too burned out to hold his sword is never going to get back into fighting fit. You lost a hand, Luke. It's okay if that takes some time to recover from. Even if the replacement is a thing of beauty." Lando took the hand, and it was suddenly easier to think of it as his own hand, with Lando gently working his thumb against the synthetic palm, right where the worst of the feedback issues had tangled. The warm, firm touch (and it was warm, was firm, even if the sensations were still slightly wrong as they ran through circuits instead of nerves) loosened the worst of the tension.

Luke bit back a groan. "You've gotten too good at that."

"Nonsense," Lando murmured. "I'm happy to help however I can."

As it so often did when Lando was around, the ghost of Biggs Darklighter leapt into Luke's mind, unbidden. They were the only two people Luke had ever known that could make something sound lecherous and chivalrous at the same time. But Luke had known Biggs when he was raw, unpolished. He had never gotten the chance to grow into Lando's easy charisma.

Luke gently pushed Biggs' ghost to the back of his mind. Years of haunting had made the memories of his best friend (and sometimes more) easier to bear, but Luke was still too sick from recent loss to want to go conversing with his older grief. 

Instead, he summoned what he hoped was an teasing expression. "Including with the logistics of our bacta suppliers?"

Lando grinned and groaned at the same time. "Now why would you go bring something like that up?" he asked as he worked his fingers further down Luke's wrist. "I was doing a fine job forgetting that mess."

Luke smiled. "My apologies." Almost involuntarily, his eyes fluttered shut as Lando's gentle fingers found the space where mechanics met flesh. That join always ached, and his sure hands eased the hurt.

Luke thought wryly that he should probably be worried about someone walking in to find him nearly swaying into Lando in Home One's spartan practice room. And yet he didn't mind, couldn't bring himself to mind, too happy to have there be one person in the world who didn't seem to get awkward around Luke's new hand. Force knows, it wasn't Luke himself, not yet.

Lando dropped Luke's arm and nudged at his shoulder instead.

Luke turned obligingly, unable, this time, to hold his happy noise inside when Lando's talented fingers found the persistent knot hiding at the base of his neck, on the right. The mechanical hand was heavier than the organic one, and Luke still hadn't figured out how to compensate for feeling lopsided.

"You know," Lando said after working for a moment, "since you brought that regrettable topic back up again, I think you bear some of the burden for helping me forget about it."

Luke's mouth went dry as one _particular_ way that could be accomplished presented itself to his imagination. "What…did you have in mind?"

"Play hooky with me." Lando said easily, to Luke's relief and dismay. "Home One's docked. We've got some time for shore leave. I don't care how big the ship is, we'll go crazy if we stay here too long."

"We're docked at a tundra planet!" Luke protested. "Hoth taught me that there are things worse than deserts. Cold is terrible."

Lando's hands dropped and Luke turned to find his affectionate smile hadn't dimmed. "I think you'll be surprised at how much you enjoy it."

Luke tucked his lightsaber into his belt and folded his hands. "I think you are suffering from a bad case of 'terrible ideas'. Are you drunk?"

Lando laughed. "Not drunk. It'll be good for to get away. And you'll enjoy yourself. Come on, Luke, trust me."

_("I can't go to the Western Ridge Caverns! It's too dangerous. Owen would skin me if he knew I wandered out that way."_

_"But the krayt nestlings are hatching now. We snag a few of those, sell them to that offworld exotic pet dealer in town, and we'll never run out of spending money again. You'd finally be able to get that modulator you want for your speeder."_

_"The krayt dragon nesting season is exactly what makes it dangerous!"_

_"Come on, Luke, trust me.")_

Desert take him for a fool, Luke had never been able to resist a good-natured charmer. "Fine," Luke answered, answer the same here as it had been in the hot sands of Tatooine. "I'll go."

Like he was reading off of the scene's script, Lando responded with a smile, "You won't regret it."

* * *

Luke regretted it.

The cold nipped against his skin as the open-air transport took them from the docks to the city center. From the moment he had stepped off of Home One the cold tightened his muscles and sunk into his bones, leaving Luke feeling tense and achy. Luke gripped the railing of the hovertransport and glared balefully at the windswept horizon.

Lando came up behind him, leaning in close enough that his breath brushed hot (and then icy, as everything here quickly became) against Luke's cheek. "Isn't it nice to be outside?"

"I hate you," Luke said, mostly not meaning it. He glared at Lando in mostly-mock petulance.

"We'll see if you still hate me when we actually get where we're going." Lando nudged Luke's shoulder and turned back toward the horizon.

They wound between snow-capped mountains, craggy and majestic beauty that Luke completely failed to appreciate. Lando gave a quiet gasp of delight as the frost-blue core of a glacier's edge came into view. Luke barely managed to keep from rolling his eyes.

Scenery gave way to city, which became slightly less cold as the bustle of sapients huddled together worked the same magic it always did in keeping people warm. Less cold did not, however, mean not cold, and Luke shivered under his coat. Lando tapped his shoulder. "This is our stop."

Luke followed Lando off the transport, finding himself facing a warehouse-looking dome covered in a reflective black duraglass. Luke considered it, tipping his head to the side. It was certainly a look, oddly polished in a city mostly built of synthcrete and stone.

"Come on." Lando took his hand and tugged, pulling Luke toward the building. A small guard post sat outside, Lando left Luke and walked over to it, handing over a credit chip and coming back with two passes. He hurried Luke along before Luke could see what the passes were, thick glass doors hissing open, revealing a small airlock. Lando pushed them in, the door slid shut behind them.

"What—?" Luke started to ask, turning to Lando.

"Shhh." Lando responded, turning Luke back to the door just in time for it to slide open.

Into paradise.

The heat hit Luke first, wet and warm, chasing the chill from his bones as he stepped forward, blinking in amazement. Green was everywhere: thick bushes choked with flowers, elegant curling ferns, yearning trees that stretched to the sky, brushing against the tops of the dome, their broad leaves soaking in the light shining through the transparent barrier.

Luke relaxed, the tension of the cold easing out of him as he stopped and stared dumbfounded at the beauty in front of him. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, bright plants and rich earth filling his nose and lungs. This place was an easy place to be alive, the scent promised.

Luke fumbled for the ties on his coat, the once insufficient garment now nearly choking. He dimly became aware of Lando stepping up behind him, easing Luke's coat off of his shoulders.

"How'd I do?" Lando asked as Luke turned to face him, tucking Luke's jacket over his elbow, along with his own.

"What is this place?" Luke said, well aware that the wonder on his face and the joy in his voice were more than answering Lando's question.

"The College of Thistdown's Botanical Gardens. I heard about it a few years back. When we docked here, I thought it seemed like the sort of place you might enjoy."

Luke ducked his head, before his eyes were drawn up again, tracing tree trunks, eyes drawing along ropy vines hanging between the trees, lacy moss hanging down from the vines. "It's perfect." 

"So I'm forgiven from dragging you out into the cold?" 

Luke looked away from the trees, finding Lando standing close—not to crowd, but to suggest. To invite. Luke, after a moment's hesitation, decided he wanted to take Lando up on that invitation. "I don't know, it was very cold. You should probably walk me around the gardens for a bit to make sure I'm not holding a grudge." Nearly blushing at his own daring, he held out his hand.

(His hand, the left one. Whatever came next, Luke wanted to feel it properly.)

Lando took it. "It would be my pleasure." Then, something glittered in his eyes before he slowly sketched an elegant bow, and laid his lips against the back of Luke's hand. 

The kiss, light and all too brief, was still enough to send tingles up Luke's arm, afterimages of touch feeling burned into his skin. Then Lando companionably tucked the hand against his elbow, under the jackets so that only the silk of Lando's shirt stood between Luke's fingers and the body under it. "Shall we stroll?" 

Luke nodded. 

There was a path that ran through the greenhouses, out one room and into another, fresh delights around every corner. Bright pink flowers that shimmered with iridescence. Broad leaves that sensed their presence and bent toward body heat. A waterfall of lacey moss that needed to be pushed aside to walk through. An artificial pond, massive green pads dotting across it, so sturdy a sign encouraged visitors to go out and stand on them (though, the sign continued, the Botanical Gardens were not responsible for any water damage to belongings). 

Luke stepped out onto a pad, did his best not to squeak as it rocked gently under his feet. The repressed noise came out in a full yelp when Lando jumped onto the same pad as him, causing the whole green disc to wobble distressingly. 

"Shhh, we're fine." Lando grinned and reached forward, resting his hands on the sides of Luke's waist. "I won't let you fall." 

"Lando! The pad is drifting!" Luke watched in horror over Lando's shoulder as the edge of the pond drew further and further away. He looked back to Lando, who was grinning unrepentantly. Luke glared at him. "Step gently, they said. This is your fault!" 

"Come on now, Luke, is this really so bad?" Lando asked gently, tugging Luke slightly closer. "You and me, drifting across a pond." Lando hesitated meaningfully. "It's not like there's anyone around."

Luke glanced around, confirmed that the gardens did, indeed, seem empty. He reached out with his own hands, laying them along Lando's shoulders. Looking him in the eye, Luke seriously informed him, "I will never let you live it down if we fall into the water."

Lando smiled, his fingers stroking gently along Luke's back. Feeling near drunk with the greenery, the heat, the perfumed smell of flowers, Luke leaned in, closer, hoping he was making his intentions clear. 

Lando gave a soft hum of delight, then carefully pressed his lips against Luke's. Surrounded by water and life and beauty, it was as romantic a moment as Luke could have imagined. They wound closer, kissing until Luke was lightheaded, weak-kneed, feeling overwhelmed but desperate for more.

With a gentle thump, the pad hit the far shore of the small pond, and Luke nearly toppled over, only kept steady by Lando's arms keeping him tight against Lando's warm chest.

"Careful now, handsome," Lando whispered as his hands played over Luke's back. "This is our stop."

Lando hopped off with more elegance than a man dismounting a lilypad should be allowed. He turned and held a hand back to Luke. Luke took his hand, smiling, and soon they were both safe on the shore. 

As Lando smiled at Luke, softly delighted, Luke felt something thrill in him. Lando looked as happy as he felt, as infatuated and excited. Luke's mind raced with possibility: further kisses and more time together. He hadn't felt such hope for the future since…

Since he was a young man standing on a sand dune, staring out into the sunset, Bigg's hand on his lower back, whispering dreams about their future in the stars. 

So much had changed since then. 

"You doing alright?" Lando asked. "That's a serious face you're wearing."

"I…" Luke turned back to Lando, realities and responsibilities creeping in unwilling. "I don't think I can do this," Luke said, the words coming out as nothing more than a whisper. 

Lando looked worried, but also considering, no hint of the anger Luke had been bracing for. "Out of curiosity, what do you mean by 'this'?"

Luke chewed his lip as he tried to out what he thought Lando wanted into words. "I'm in no place to be a good companion to anyone." 

Lando tilted his head, a gesture Luke had seen him use in negotiations, when he suspected there was something going on he didn't understand. "I'd disagree with that. You've been a fantastic friend. But this didn't come up until I kissed you, so I can't help but think you're talking about a different kind of companionship."

Luke flattened his lips. "Is that not what you're hoping for?"

"I hope for a lot of different things, Luke. Mostly I'm just hoping you'll let yourself have a good time. Whatever that looks like for you."

"That sounds nice," Luke admitted, "But I can't neglect my responsibilities to have a good time." 

"I'm not asking you to neglect anything," Lando softened, reaching over to draw his fingers along Luke's jaw. "Maybe hoping you'd put them on pause for a bit. I'm worried you're working yourself to an early grave."

Luke swallowed, distracted by the touch, enjoying it too much to want it to stop, but also determined to focus on the conversation. "I…I enjoy my time with you. But there's too much going on for it to ever be the focus. You deserve better than that."

"Why don't you let me sort out what I deserve?" Lando's hand dropped, and he took a step back, giving Luke space. "I like you."

Luke flushed, fighting the urge to take his own step forward, to keep Lando close. "I don't...I've never really been one to just play. Even before…" Luke drew an expansive gesture in the air, hoping Lando would catch his meaning. 

Lando gave an indulgent smile. "I didn't expect you would be. Luke, I know I've got a bit of a reputation, but I can take things slow. Or I can not take anything at all. You just let me know what you want."

"Slow? You're sure?"

"Glacial," Lando promised. He stuck his hands in his pockets, pointedly keeping his distance.

"I might be able to handle slow." Luke chewed his lip, before stepping forward and tucking his hand back where it had rested on Lando's elbow. "Then let's go take a look at the rest of the gardens."

Lando smiled. "Yes. Let's."

* * *

* * *

Lando knew a thing or two about being charming. He had built a brand on it, after all. He had a knack for talking to people. Enemies dropped hostilities, the disinterested became allied, and friends became…

Well, Lando didn't talk about that in polite company. 

But for all he knew about being charming, Lando couldn't think of a time he had ever been so _charmed_. Luke was guileless, an effortless honesty hung around him, and Lando was drawn in, helpless to resist. 

As they left the gardens, Lando untucked Luke's jacket, holding it up to his shoulders again. He probably shouldn't be so enthralled by the dirty look shot his way, the baleful glare at the airlock and the grey skies outside.

"Desert boy," Lando leaned close, testing the distance between them. "Never got the hang of cold, huh?"

"I almost froze to death," Luke leaned backward as he shrugged back into his coat, lingering a moment with Lando's arms around his shoulders. Lando almost started to pull Luke even closer, when Luke continued, "Han had to shove me into a dead animal. It's the only reason I survived."

Lando froze. "That is quite possibly the least romantic thing you could have said just now."

Luke laughed as he stepped out of Lando's hands. "Yeah. Well, like you said, desert boy. There wasn't much romance growing up. It was all very much about whether or not you could take care of each other, whether the match was good for your survival."

"You really aren't doing all that badly, considering your lack of practice. You ready?" An irritated harumph was all the answer Lando got. He grinned, and tugged the collar of Luke's jacket more firmly closed. "You seem all set."

The door opened, and they stepped out into the cold again. Lando took a deep breath, he always enjoyed the briskness. It made him think of the high angry winds that wrapped around his city.

His delight doubled when Luke shivered and leaned closer to him. Wondering exactly where the line was, he put an arm around Luke's shoulder, and Luke cuddled in closer, making grumpy noises.

Lando, once again, was impossibly charmed by Luke, all irritated and heat-seeking. Lando thought back to Luke's description of his desert. He really shouldn't ask. But he found he couldn't help himself. "So…was that your first kiss?"

Luke laughed, which wasn't the response Lando was expecting. "No."

"So there was a sweetheart in your past?"

Luke sighed. His forehead pressed against Lando's chest and said, cheer gone and with a new note of sorrow, "I suppose you could say that."

Lando was trying to parse that tone shift when their skiff slid up. They both edged on board and found an open spot next to the railing. Lando came up behind Luke and was delighted when Luke pulled him even closer, wrapping Lando's arm around his waist. The skiff set off, winding through the city. Lando stared at the scenery, his chin on Luke's shoulder, for once not feeling the need to say anything.

It was Luke that broke the silence. "He died. In the attack on the Death Star."

Lando paused, then wrapped his arm around Luke even tighter, a hug, not just a holding. "I'm sorry. There's no making sense of that kind of loss."

Luke sighed. "We grew up together. Joined at the hip. He left, joined the Rebellion first. I came in just barely before we launched our attack. He kissed me, we got in our ships, and he died."

Lando didn't say anything, he held Luke, sensing that this was one of those times when comfort was needed more than the perfect words.

After a moment, Luke stepped out of Lando's hold, twisting so he could look at Lando. "You remind me of him, you know?"

"Is that a good thing?"

Luke shrugged. "I don't know. I liked him. I like you. I am a little worried that I'm not interested in you for the right reasons."

"I've never felt like you were looking past me." Lando paused, and decided to let his curiosity win. "So, if you'll forgive the vain questions, what are the similarities?"

Luke smiled, sad and honest and amused, all at the same time. "Well, let's see. You both have enough charisma to sell sand to a Jawa. Flirt as naturally as breathing. You see me, meet needs I don't even know how to ask for."

"That's not sounding too bad."

Luke rolled his eyes. "It's not. It's just..." Luke reached over, laid a hand on Lando's jaw and ran his thumb across Lando's mustache, skin brushing over Lando's lips as it went. The sensation stayed long after Luke dropped his hand and said, "He even had the same mustache and fondness for capes."

Lando, still lost in the sensation, took a minute to say, "Well, it certainly sounds like you have a type."

Luke gave a weak chuckle. "I suppose so." He gave Lando a serious look. "I just don't want to be chasing his ghost, you know? If I'm with you"—a pretty bit of color splashed across Luke's cheeks, and Lando was almost overwhelmed by how much he wanted to lay a kiss against that flush—"I want it to be because I'm with you. Not the shadow of what could have been." 

Lando gave a slow nod. He tentatively took Luke's hand, more confident when he felt Luke squeeze his own in return. "I appreciate your care, Luke. I promise, I'm in no hurry. You take all the time you need." 

Luke smiled, stepping closer and brushing a kiss against Lando's cheek. "Thank you."

* * *

* * *

Lando burst into the room, cape snapping behind him, looking frantic and nervous in a way Luke had never known him to look before. 

Dodonna and Leia both glanced up from their briefing, considering the man who had just entered in a whirlwind. 

"General, Highness, I was hoping I would catch you," Lando said, his words careful but his breathing erratic, his fingers clenched into a fist. "I just received a transmission. Some of the Bespin security forces—I hadn't expected to hear from them again. When they didn't check in, I assumed…"

Luke could vaguely remember people fleeing, running away while he moved toward. Luke, with all his training and all his power, couldn't beat the demon in the black cloak. There was no good reason to assume a handful of security personnel could survive what Luke nearly hadn't. 

"They're alive?" Leia asked. 

"Yes. But in Imperial held territory. They don't have scandocs and they're running out of credits. I'd like to go get them. But I'll need a ship."

"The Falcon…" Leia started.

"Too distinctive. If we do this right, we won't need firepower. Give me a shuttle that blends in."

"Of course…" Leia started.

"Highness, can we really spare the resources—" Dodonna cut off when he saw the look in Leia's eyes. "Request granted. Are you going to need personnel?"

"If we get into a tight spot, it'd be good to have a few people at my back. Not so many as to draw attention, though."

Dodonna gave a considering nod. "I'll see who can be pulled on short notice."

"I can go," Luke found himself volunteering. He fought down a flinch when heads turned to him. "I'm not on active duty at the moment, and this is the sort of mission that would let me ease back into things."

Leia looked ready to object, but Lando stepped in and said, "It'd be good to have you." 

"He doesn't exactly not draw attention," Leia pointed out.

Luke gave landing wry grin. "She may have a point."

Lando shook his head. "No, you're right, it'd be good for you to start being on the ground again. Besides, you keep the lightsaber hidden, you'll blend in just fine."

* * *

This was the sort of stealth mission that would either go so easily that it couldn't quite be believed, or so poorly they'd be smeared to stardust before anyone knew what happened. So far, it seemed to be the former, borrowed shuttle slipping between Imperial patrols quickly and quietly, making landfall on the small planet of Plebiis Minor with no one the wiser for their presence. 

Flying a shuttle was nowhere near as exciting as flying a fighter, but Luke still felt a small thrill of satisfaction as he settled the shuttle down for a neat landing. Flying had come back faster than fighting had, and there was a joy in being able to do something well, the first time. 

"Right, according to the transmission, they've been passing themselves off as a group of geologists doing research."

"Strange disguise." Luke cocked his head as he thought about it. "Well, maybe not. It does give them an excuse to live frugally." 

"And a reason to have landed on a rocky planet, to be out of the city for good chunks of time, and to have strange equipment without drawing too much interest. Quick thinking. Still, money is going to run out, and even the skeleton Imperial force stationed here is bound to start asking questions sooner or later."

"Well, Professor Calrissian, let's get our people home."

"Professor? I'm insulted. I didn't spend eight fake years getting my fake doctorate to be referred to as professor."

"Pardon me, _Fake Doctor_ Calrissian," Luke said, laughing. 

"Better." Lando sniffed. "Right, let's go rent a landspeeder and find our fake graduate students."

The speeder rental didn't look twice at their fake scandocs, rotely reciting the mandatory safety briefing before passing the keys over. Luke did his best to look serious and slightly bored, before the two of them headed out of the city, scanner tuned to the frequency used by Lando's Cloud City security. 

Luke wound the speeder between mesas, kicking up a cloud of dust behind him and feeling almost homesick. Finally, in the distance, white specks appeared, slowly resolving themselves into a half-circle of tents. They were a promising sign, Luke figured, particularly considering that as they got closer they could see that none of the tents were full of holes, no evidence that their inhabitants had been dragged off in the night.

"Hold up here," Lando held up a hand and Luke started slowing. "Let's park far enough back that even if my people are feeling trigger happy, they'll see me before they start shooting." 

As they approached on foot, something niggled at Luke. Something about the way the tents were arranged, the way they were spaced, it felt like— 

Luke's hand was on Lando's chest in an instant, stopping him in a gesture borne out of long-buried instinct than any conscious reason. 

Lando stopped, and Luke pointed to the ground, where the waves of sand shifted oddly. "Ground's been disturbed. That's not wind-blown."

"Just looks like sand to me, but I'll take your word for i—"

"Boss! You came!" An unfamiliar voice called. 

Unfamiliar to Luke, but clearly not to Lando, whose face lit up with easy delight. "Mawk! That you?" 

"In the flesh!" called Mawk, who turned out to be a stocky-looking Chadra-Fan, emerging from the tent. "Don't get any closer, we've got pit traps set up. I'll lead you in safely." Mawk let out a shrill whistle. "Ladies and gents, our ride is here!"

As excited noises filled the air, one tent, then another opening to reveal excited looking humanoids. Luke hung back, watching the joy, still feeling something nagging at him. The tents, the traps, it was a familiar shape. 

The last tent opened, and another familiar shape stepped out. Recognition hit Like like a charging Bantha, knocking the breath clean out of him. It couldn't be. _It couldn't be._

Mouth dry, and not from the arid breeze, Luke licked his lips and pursed them, whistling three descending notes he hadn't had cause to sound in a long, long time. 

That figure froze, then shot upright, scanning the horizon. When he caught sight of Luke he jerked, and a moment later Luke heard something he never thought he'd hear again. 

Those three notes mirrored back to him, ascending where Luke's had descended. 

"Biggs," Luke whispered, feeling the world drop out from under him. 

* * *

* * *

Lando wouldn't say he was unlucky in love. The phrase always struck him as nonsensical. With something as beautiful as love, how could it be unlucky to have it? Oh, certainly, you might not find joy in how it ends. But the love itself, it was worth the pain. Lando would have gone crazy a long time ago if it weren't for that fact. After all, heartbreak was an old friend by this point. 

It looked like this: 

A droid, laying broken just meters from safety, the spark that had once lived in her circuits, the fire that had driven her spirit, gone in an instant, in the eyeblink between a blaster bolt firing and finding its target. 

The smear of light eaten by stars, as a young man jumped the Falcon into hyperspace, the sharp-eyed rogue that had chased him across the galaxy, not because he loved Lando, but because he loved Lando's ship. 

A woman, witty and wonderful, her eyes so fixed on a cause she never managed to blink past it to the person, and the slow realization that he couldn't pretend to be okay living in reflected light. 

It didn't look like this: 

Luke, radiant despite his shadows, quietly asking Lando to slow down as he fought to find the balance between the man the galaxy needed and the man he wanted to be. It didn't look like Luke, tucked between Lando's arms as the city slid by, admitting that he might not be over a man who died years ago, that Lando reminded Luke of his first love, that he felt like Lando deserved certainty, not to live in the shadow of a ghost. 

No, that didn't sour the tongue like heartbreak, that tasted like a quietly growing love, like someone being careful and considerate and serious, but still asking Lando to stay. 

But now, a fresh pain to add to his collection, found in the way Luke's face went pale and his eyes went wide. He was staring at one of Lando's security team acquisitions, a young man found living with scavengers, too gaunt for Lando's liking, and possessing an utterly wasted talent. He had been one of Lando's best investments, and suddenly, Lando realized that he hadn't learned very much at all about Biggs Darklighter's past, and wasn't that an oversight? 

Here's how this heartbreak looked: 

The man that Lando was learning to love screaming, _"Biggs!"_ in overwhelmed joy. The man that Lando had hoped would heal shouting, "Luke!" in return, and then the two were colliding, twirling together. Biggs, who hadn't even smiled in the first four weeks Lando had known him, was suddenly grinning like a madman, was sweeping Luke up into a kiss. There were tears and _I thought you were dead_ 's and happiness so pure it even brought tears to Lando's eyes. 

Later, as Biggs saw his team settled in the back of the shuttle, Lando quietly pulled Luke into the cockpit. "That's your boy, huh?" 

Guilt and happiness warred on Luke's face as he softly said, "Yes." 

"Good," Lando said, and did not touch, even though he wanted to. "I'm glad. If anyone deserves a second chance, it's the two of you. He's one of my best. You take care of him." 

The guilt faded, the happiness remained. "I will." 

Lando was well acquainted with heartbreak, but it had never looked quite so sweet as this. 

* * *

* * *

Biggs’ hands shook as he sat on the edge of his cot in the med bay. Lando had come for him. He had known Lando would. Had held onto that faith with both hands as he and his team had struggled with a broken ship, with a barren desert, with occupied territory. They just had to get a message out, and Lando would come. 

But he hadn't come alone. 

_Luke._

A fresh wave of guilt, of sorrow, washed over Biggs, and he buried his head in his shaking hands, fighting not to sob. Kriff. How many times had he dreamed of seeing Luke again? Had he dreamed that Luke would show up and find him? But Luke hadn't and Lando had, and now they both were here and— 

"Biggs?" Luke asked. 

Biggs didn't need to look up to know it was Luke. That voice was imprinted on his soul, he'd never forget it. But he did look up, happy to take Luke in, the reality of him here. "Hey." 

Luke seemed different. More weathered, certainly, than the young man of Tatooine, than the sort-of hero Biggs had pressed up against an X-Wing and kissed with a quiet promise of, "See you after we kill this thing."

It seems like the universe was giving Biggs his chance to fulfill that promise after all.

"I can't believe you're here." Luke shook his head, edging a couple steps closer.

"Me either," Biggs said, honestly.

"You're alive." There was wonder in Luke's tone. "How…?"

"It's quite the story." Biggs wondered if the hollowness behind the words was obvious to anyone who couldn't feel the way they rattled around his chest. "But, I'm really tired, can we not…?"

"Of course!" Luke said quickly. "You're dehydrated and sleep deprived, but aside from that, you're free to be released from medical. I, uh, everyone else in your team has been given quarters on the east deck. I can show you over there…" Luke trailed off.

"Or?" Biggs asked, pleased he was still able to read Luke's silences.

"Or you could come back to mine," Luke said, more gracefully than he could ever have managed before. "I let people know I was going to handle your release from medical. Whichever you want, but," Luke glanced off to the side, "I just got you back, I don't really want to let you out of my sight."

Biggs considered all the awkwardness of what was between them, now. Considered that against having Luke close again. "Yeah, I'll stick with you."

Luke smiled, and the galaxy seemed a brighter place, again.

Eventually, Biggs managed to shuffle out of Medical, after being given strict instructions to rest and hydrate. He barely managed to avoid snapping at the nurse that it certainly hadn't been _his idea_ to be stranded out in the middle of nowhere, and he thinks they did pretty damn well with the supplies they had. 

There wasn't a point to fighting people that were just trying to look out for him, though, so Biggs kept his mouth shut and was soon following Luke down the hallway, following Luke into his _room_ , his nerves a frantic mess as he tried to figure out what was going to happen next. 

"I can set up the spare bedding and sleep on the floor. The bed's all yours," Luke said, then paused, leaving space for Biggs to respond.

Biggs smiled, relaxing at Luke's consideration, unchanged from their youth. It was enough to let him answer honestly, "I'd rather share, but I do get nightmares. You might get a better night's sleep further away." 

"You didn't, before." Luke gave him a sad look, that quickly turned rueful with the small twist of his lips. "I do too, these days." 

Biggs was torn between wanting to know what Luke's nightmares were, and being in no shape to talk about his own. He went with the stalemate, instead offering his hand out to Luke. "I'll handle yours if you deal with mine." 

Luke looked down at the hand, and a storm moved over his face, tears suddenly seeming imminent. He bypassed the handshake, pulling Biggs in for a fierce hug. "I missed you so much."

Biggs felt his own breath hitch. "I missed you too. Kriff, Luke, I missed you every second of every day."

Luke pulled back, his fingers still digging into Biggs' biceps. "Why didn't—?" Luke cut himself off, shaking his head. "No, bed now. Sleep."

"I'm sorry. I couldn't find you." The words felt inadequate, both as an apology, and as a way to capture the utter helplessness he had felt, between Yavin and Bespin. 

"No, Biggs I...I'm just really glad to have you back, okay? I missed you. I know…I know I've changed a lot. I'm sure you have too. There will be time for questions later." 

That wasn't what Biggs had expected. He had expected Luke to sulk, just a bit, to push and demand an explanation. He felt a lump start to form in his throat. Yavin was what...three years ago? Four? So recent, so distant, it felt like a lifetime. Clearly Biggs wasn't the only one that had done some growing up. 

"Can I hold you?" Biggs asked, feeling desperate for some familiarity. 

"Yes," Luke said, sounding relieved. "Please." 

The bed wasn't big, but it was big enough—Biggs backed against the wall and Luke tucked against his front. Luke' right hand went up under the pillow, while his left reached over and tugged Biggs' hand over his waist. Biggs hummed in satisfaction as he cuddled close. Luke's form was familiar, it was the right size, the right smell, even if the shock of blond hair was less sun-bleached now. Though…

Biggs’ hand played along Luke's abs. "You have been working out."

Luke gave a weak chuckle, unusual (but not, Biggs decided, unwelcome) muscles twitching under Biggs' palm. "Yeah. I did do some training…" his words turned rough and he stopped talking. After a minute, he sighed. "There's a lot to tell you."

Biggs wanted to know everything, and he dreaded hearing it at the same time. What he wanted, really, was to go back to Tatooine before he left. To get another chance to wrap his arms around Luke in the backseat of a landspeeder, to find some way they could slip free of their desert shackles without either of them going to war. "In the morning?"

"If you're up for it," Luke said gently, and then his left hand covered Biggs', patting gently. "You going to be able to sleep alright?"

"I think so," Biggs said, and held Luke closer.

Sleep came easily, and morning came too soon. Biggs’ eyes slid open, the spike of panic at the disorientation of waking up in an unfamiliar place quickly soothed by the warm body next to him. He wasn't cold. He wasn't alone. He was with Luke.

Biggs looked over at the sprawled, sleeping form next to him with affection. Luke had become untucked during the night, as he often did, restless even in his sleep, left hand resting against Biggs' chest, right hand…

Biggs cocked his head. He could have sworn that Luke had a mole on that wrist. Biggs reached over and ran his fingers along where the mole was supposed to be. The skin was _wrong_ , it was too-cold and too-hard, and Biggs jerked back in shock. Luke came awake at that. Blue eyes looked from Biggs, to where Biggs' hand still hovered near his, then back to Biggs.

"Ah," Luke said.

"What happened to your _hand?"_

Luke winced. "Lost it a couple months back. Still getting used to the replacement."

"How did you lose it? Did you crash?"

_How close did I come to losing you when I wasn't there?_

Luke reluctantly pushed himself up to sitting, leaning back against the headboard, left fingers tracing the nearly-invisible join along his forearm. "Not a crash. I lost it in a fight."

"A…fight?"

Luke's eyes squeezed shut, then he gave a resigned sigh. He held out his hand, and his desk gave a rattle. Then, after a second the drawer flew open and a small metal cylinder jumped from the drawer and flew into his hand. With a casual gesture, Luke flicked it on, and there was suddenly a green blade humming next to the bed, instrument of death held casually above the bed.

"What?"

Luke gave a sheepish smile. "Yeah. We never got the chance to talk about this on Yavin?"

Biggs blinked.

"Obi-Wan—Old Ben? In the Wastes?"

"Yeah…?" asked Biggs, entirely confused by this point.

"He is was a Jedi. And the reason he was out there…it turns out, so am I." Luke shut off the lightsaber and threw it, it landed neatly in the desk drawer. After a second, the door slid shut again. "At least in theory. I'm still figuring out how it works in practice."

"I…you, how—" Biggs stopped when he caught sight of Luke's face, the tightness around his eyes, the way his jaw twitched. It was the same expression after he had oh-so-casually informed Biggs that he liked him, and not as a friend, well, maybe as a friend, but as the sort of friend you want to kiss. Studiedly casual, terrified of judgement. 

Biggs carefully backed off of his outrage. "Well, I always knew you were something special, Skywalker. Going to shake the stars."

Luke gave a bitter bark of a laugh, and scrubbed his hands over his face. "I really don't think either of us saw this coming."

"True enough." Biggs gathered the courage to ask the question he suspected he really didn't want to know the answer to. "And the arm? Who were you fighting?"

"Vader," Luke said simply.

"Vader. Fuck." Biggs replied, before a slow icy feeling crept over him. "Wait. A couple months…Luke, where did you fight Vader?"

"I give you three guesses and the first two don't count," Luke curled his knees to his chest, like they were back talking about holovid crushes, and Luke was a little embarrassed to admit his fantasies.

Biggs wanted to shake him, wanted the man who fought the galaxy's collective nightmare to not look so damn similar to the teenager who had whispered secrets to Biggs. "You fought him on Bespin," Biggs said woodenly. "You're why we had to evacuate."

Luke had been right there and Biggs had never known.

"Yeah." Luke tipped his head back against the headboard again. "The Empire used Han and Leia to lure me there. Apparently Han knew Lando. I showed up, we fought, I lost." Luke sounded bitter.

"You're still alive," Biggs said, hoping he sounded reassuring.

"It's true." Luke turned to face him. "And so are you."

Biggs flinched. He had walked right into that one. Luke reached over, tucked some of Biggs' hair away from his eyes. Biggs’ eyes fell shut at the touch.

"I just want to know how. I…I heard you die. How are you still here?"

"I ejected from the ship before it was destroyed. Successfully," Biggs said, feeling like the words were shredding his throat as he spoke them. He didn't talk about this. But if anyone, anyone deserved to know, it was Luke.

"There weren't any transponder signals. We checked! I know we checked!"

Biggs rolled over onto his back, pressing his palms over his eyes. "It malfunctioned. At least, that's what the scavs that found me said. Maybe it was knocked offline by the Death Star's explosion. I was just barely far enough out to survive that."

"How…how long were you out there for?" Luke said, immediately grasping half the horror.

"Four days."

No food, his suit's hydration unit gave up after the second day. Watching the O2 unit tick ever lower. The thin ozone layer flickering, thinning, knowing any moment the blackness would take him. Lost in the dark.

"I'm so sorry," Luke whispered, laying a hand on Biggs’ arm. "I never meant to leave you. I should have…"

Biggs dropped his hands off of his face. Luke wasn't seriously going to try to blame himself for this, was he? "Nobody knew I was out there. And by the time I came to I didn't know where the Rebellion was."

Biggs braced, worried and half-hoping that Luke would press for more information. It hurt to talk about, the idea of unearthing old pains voluntarily felt impossible. Even for Luke. But maybe if Luke asked…

But all Luke said was, "You found us now."

"Well, you found me. I don't think I get the credit." Biggs smiled, a little sadly.

"So what happens now?" Luke asked. "Will you—" Luke swallowed, and looked away. "Are you staying?" 

Biggs wanted to blurt yes, reassure Luke that of course, of course he was staying. But was he? Could he? "I don't know. I think I need to talk to Lando."

Luke nodded. "I hope...It would be nice to have you around again." 

Biggs reached over, covered Luke's hand with his. "I never stopped thinking about you. Never stopped wanting to be with you." 

Luke turned back to Biggs. He turned his hand up, threading his fingers through Biggs' own, squeezing slightly. "I tried to move on. Did a lousy job of it." 

Biggs had gotten used to careful movement, to thinking through his desires and ruthlessly stripping away the wants to serve his needs. He didn't use the word 'need' lightly anymore. And yet, he still _needed_ to roll toward Luke, to bury his forehead next to Luke's hip and throw an arm across Luke's thighs. "I hurt you. I'm so sorry." 

"Now who's apologizing for things that aren't their fault?" Luke stroked his fingers along the top of Biggs’ arm. His other hand came up to rest lightly against the back of Bigg's head. "I'm just so glad you're alive. When…when you figure out if you can stay, we should talk. About us. If there is an us."

Biggs pressed a little more firmly against Luke's hip, sighing slightly. He and Luke had always been an us. Since the moment Esse Darklighter had taken her youngest son to meet Beru's new boy, he and Luke had been an us. Tinkerers, bush pilots, beleaguered farmhands, frustrated students, friends, together. 

He and Luke had never been an us. Friendship had gained nerves and flutters and complicated new feelings, had grown with hesitant kisses and backseat fumbling. And for all that they had never put a name to it, never bothered to define the way they were connected. 

So when Biggs left for flight school, they didn't break up because there was nothing to break, and when Luke showed up again Biggs kissed him because that's what they did, that's who they were. 

But between then and now Biggs had gotten lost. He hadn't known if he would ever see Luke again, and the old status-quo sat poorly on his heart. Biggs untucked himself and sat up in bed, shuffled his way over Luke's shins and out of bed, Luke watching his progress. Biggs stopped, standing next to the bed, reaching down to take Luke's hands, synthetic and organic. Luke arched an eyebrow, looking quizzical. 

"I love you," Biggs said softly. 

Luke's eyes went wide. "Biggs." 

Biggs ran his thumbs along the backs of Luke's knuckles. "I regretted not telling you. Figured that since the universe gave me another chance I should take it."

"I—Biggs…" Luke sound surprised, and breathless. 

"Don't go saying anything now." Biggs said, feeling a tattered cloak of his old charisma wrap around him, a little worn and threadbare now, but still serviceable enough. "I just wanted it said. I don't need an answer." 

Luke seemed to consider giving him an answer anyway, but instead he smiled a radiant smile and tightened his grip on Biggs’ hands. 

Biggs lifted Luke's left hand, warm and real, and laid a kiss along the back of it. "I don't know if we'll fit together again. But whatever happens, Luke, I want you to know that I love you." 

* * *

* * *

"Nah, boss, let me tell you, It was hell, _hell_ on that dustball. We were eatin' lizard by the end of it." Tekeen, a blue-skinned Twi'lek, leaned forward and tucked into her breakfast with enthusiasm. 

"It'ss true. This one found it disconcerting. Nearly cannibalistic. Mamellianss make far better prey." Shaavik, a shockingly good-natured Barabel, gave a toothy smile. 

"Well, that's not at all disturbing and definitely won't give me nightmares," Mawk said cheerfully, wrinkling his stubby nose.

Lando smiled at the easy conversation, this quiet miracle, that people he had assumed were lost forever were safe. He couldn't bring all his people home—there wasn't a home to go to anymore—but he had saved them. It felt good to have a win.

The door slid open, and they all looked over. Lando smiled to see Biggs, looking clean and well rested, the ever-present bruising under his eyes a little lighter, today. Biggs sketched a casual salute to the room. 

"Well, look at ya! Struttin' in here like you own the place. Have a nice night snuggled next to loverboy?" Tekeen said, tossing one long lekku over her shoulder. 

"Yeah! What was that? Who is that guy?!" Mawk perked up, leaning toward Biggs. 

Biggs didn't rise to the bait, just shaking his head slightly. "I think we all slept better. Never thought I'd be grateful for a military cot." 

"It doess not take much to be more comfortable than tent over dirt," Shaavik agreed, his forked tongue flicking in agreement. 

Biggs eyed the breakfast buffet laid out along the long table across the side of the conference room table, "This for us?" 

"Who else woul' i' 'ee 'or?" Mawk asked around a mouthful of food. 

"Close your mouth when ya eat," Tekeen chided him affectionately. 

Lando stood, crossing over to Biggs and clapping him across the shoulders. "Yes, the Rebellion was kind enough to give us a room and some breakfast while we figure out what the next step is. Go ahead. Eat up." 

Biggs relaxed slightly, picking up a plate and crossing over to the buffet. 

Lando gave a soft, internal sigh. Biggs was a good pilot, a good employee, but his time with the scavs had hurt him—living on a rickety freighter with people who really didn't care if he lived or died. It had taken Lando a while to see it, but Biggs checked every angle, he never assumed kindness. He trusted Lando, through, which Lando counted as one of the few uncontestedly good things he had done. 

He waited until people had eaten their fill, before leaning forward, and folding his hands on the table. Biggs caught the gesture quickly, quieting the others and turning to him. 

"So," Lando said, "we should figure out what's happening next."

"Yeah, are we Rebs now? How'd ya convince the Rebellion to pick us up and put us up?" Teeken asked. 

Lando inclined his head. "Well, that's up to you. The Rebellion would be happy to have you, I'm sure, but you're not obligated. I've still got a decent rainy day fund, we can get you over to a port and set you up well enough to get you all to someplace safe."

"Ssafety? In thiss galaxy?" Shaavik's eye slits narrowed in amusement. 

"Yes, true enough." Lando tried to keep his face from falling. "Still, the offer is there, and I encourage you to consider it, being in the middle of an active resistance to the Empire is not exactly good for your health and wellbeing."

"Bossman, most of us ain't human. Biggsy here might be alright, but it's a bad Empire out there. There ain't many places like Cloud City." 

Lando felt a heaviness drag his shoulders down. "I know." 

There was a hand on his elbow, and Lando looked up, surprised to find Biggs looking warm and worried. "Empire fucks everything up." 

Lando snorted. "Got that right." 

"What's the plan for you?" Biggs continued, pressing softly. 

"Well, in the process of evacuating, I managed to steal away a couple of the Empire's most wanted. I'm afraid there's a halfway decent price on my head. I'm committed here. But they don't know about you all."

"We really think the Rebellion is just gonna let us go? Seems unlikely," was Mawk's opinion. 

"Mawk, what kind of a negotiator do you think I am? They'll let you go. I made sure of that before I came for you."

Lando looked over his crew, musing over what he knew of them. Shaavik would take the offer and leave, he was too much a mercenary to fit into the Rebellion. Tekeen would stay, she held her cards close to her chest and tended to take the sure thing over the hypothetical. Mawk would leave, if he were on his own, but Tekeen was his good friend, Lando would put money on him staying with her. And Biggs... 

Lando didn't know which way Biggs would go. Biggs was one of Lando's favorite employees (though of course, he didn't have favorites, he was a professional) but he was still such a mystery. 

"If we are truly free to depart, this one musst accept the offer. Empire, Rebellion, it'ss all to political for this one," Shaavik said. "The fight iss good, but the money iss better elsewhere." 

"I'll need to think about it," Mawk said, flicking his ears back. 

"I'd like to have a chat with whoever places their pilots. Might be a good fit." Teeken nodded to herself. 

"Hey! What happened to thinking about it?" Mawk protested. 

"Think all ya want, this ain't a bad deal," Teeken pointed out. 

"Fine, fine, guess I'm sticking with you. You're nuts if you think I'm about to let some _other_ gunner watch your back." 

Lando arched his eyebrow over at Biggs, who still had his hand on Lando's elbow, a grounding point of warmth. "Any thoughts? You don't need to decide now." 

"You're staying?" Biggs asked. 

Lando nodded. "I've got some debts owed here." 

Biggs inclined his head. "Then I'm staying too." 

Lando smiled, the simplicity of that statement causing something bright and warm to spread through his chest. "Thank you." 

There was a slight squeeze on his elbow and the hand withdrew. Lando tried not to miss its presence too much. 

The conversation continued, easy chatter as first Teeken, then Shaavik went back for seconds. Lando looked over at Biggs' plate, suddenly remembering, "Hey, come're," he said to Biggs, pulling at his elbow. 

Biggs obediently followed Lando over to the buffet table again, at the far end was a covered plate, and Lando reached forward, pulling the cover off. "Realized you missed these." 

Lando glanced up to find Biggs smiling. "Are those—?" 

"Sweetcake-wrapped sausages that I specifically got from the mess because I knew you liked them? Yes." 

Biggs' smile widened and Lando's stomach gave a quiet flip. The first time he had seen Biggs, Lando had thought he was a serious young man, a little reserved, and so handsome it set Lando's mouth watering. He had quickly launched on a seduction campaign, and just as quickly set it aside, when he realized the reserve was masking a deep and profound hurt. 

Biggs had been a bundle of trauma, skittish of the deep black since he had nearly died in it. Lando could see, plain as day, that living on the scav's rickety ship, crossing the same stars he flinched from, was killing him in slow steps. 

_"Why are you flying with them, then?" Lando asked, profoundly baffled._

_Biggs folded his too-thin hands, kept his head down. "Got nowhere else to go. It's fine."_

It was so clearly not fine. It was a problem, and it was one Lando could fix. So instead of offering his bed, Lando had offered Biggs a job, the chance to find a home among welcoming clouds instead of hostile stars. 

It was one of the best decisions he had ever made. Biggs grew healthier and happier. Lando got to see it happen and got a dedicated and talented employee as a bonus. Still, when Biggs smiled, the baser parts of Lando tried to argue that he should have stuck with his first plan. 

"You shouldn't have," Biggs said. 

And he was so _nice_ on top of it. 

Lando's voice dropped, quieter, so they couldn't be easily heard by the table. "I know you kept them safe out there. It was good work you did. Let me say thank you." 

Biggs said, "Just doing my job," as he nevertheless turned back to the table and started filling up his plate with the little sausages. 

"You keep telling yourself that." Biggs had always done more than his job. Lando had lost track of the number of times he'd caught Biggs escorting some drunk tourist back to their quarters, or helping the flight patrols recalibrate their sensor units, or any number of small kindnesses that had nothing to do with work. Instead of arguing the point, Lando said, "I'm glad you're staying." 

Biggs, still smiling, turned to Lando and said, "Come on, boss, you know I'd follow you anywhere."

Heat ran through Lando and he told himself, with more viciousness than usual, that you do _not_ hit on people that were working for you. And more than that, he was with Luke. Kind, stubborn, beautiful Luke who deserved all the good in the world. And Biggs was certainly good. 

Contrary to popular belief, Lando was, in fact, capable of keeping his hands _off._

"So how is Luke?" Lando teased, just a friend with an interest. "You were a little late getting down here this morning."

Biggs rolled his eyes. "Now don't you start," he said, turning with his plate and walking back to the table. 

Lando watched him go, an uneasy hollowness opening up in his chest. He swallowed, for a moment feeling terribly lonely. 

He shook his head and followed after. 

* * *

* * *

The training droid spat out three bolts in quick succession, and Luke deflected all of them, the lightsaber, for once, feeling natural in his grip. Luke deactivated the blade, throwing the hilt from hand to hand, showing off for no one but himself, enjoying the feel of hands doing what they were supposed to.

A throat cleared from the doorway, and Luke glanced up with a grin, expecting to see Lando's bright smile. It'd be nice to share his enthusiasm for once, instead of his frustration.

But it wasn't Lando, it was Biggs there and in the flesh and Luke was struck all over again with the fact that he had spent last night held in Biggs’ arms. He brightened even further, feeling, for once, impossibly good.

Biggs didn't have the same joy, looking into the training room with his black eyebrows knitted together in concern.

"Everything okay?" Luke felt his joy drop. Was this Biggs getting ready to say goodbye? He hadn't tried all that hard to find the Rebellion, as far as Luke could tell. It made a certain amount of sense he wouldn't stay. And yet, Luke had really thought he would have more time. He hooked his lightsaber in his belt and walked over to Biggs.

"It's still strange seeing you do that." Biggs gestured at the training droid, looking a little uncomfortable. "You weren't even looking. You're kriffin' fast."

"Yeah, I guess you never really saw…" Any of it. Biggs hadn't seen any of the training, the fighting, he didn't know about Hoth, about Dagobah, about Bespin. Luke had spent more time with Biggs than without him, but the time that Biggs had missed was life-changing. Luke felt uncomfortable at that idea, that his oldest friend didn't know him all that well now.

Biggs looked like he shared that discomfort. "I didn't." Then his face cleared, as Biggs drew his shoulders back in a deliberate gesture, a decisive brace against the world. "But I'm looking forward to seeing it now."

Luke clipped the lightsaber back on his belt. "Right now?"

"If that's what you want." Biggs' shoulders softened. "Or later. I'm staying, Luke. Rejoining."

Luke had to play the words over a time or two, making sure he was hearing them properly. "You are?"

Biggs nodded, taking a couple hesitant steps into the training room. "Just got done talking with Lando. It'll take a minute to figure out exactly what I'm doing, but yes, I'm staying."

"Oh." Luke bit his lip as happiness started to rise again. So much of his life, lately, had been bad news after loss after more bad news. It was a shocking joy to have something be entirely, simply, good. "That's good. That's…it's good!"

"I'm glad to hear you say that," Biggs said, sounding wry and amused and so much like his old self that Luke couldn't help but duck his head and grin. "Would be a shame to come all this way just to have you not want me."

"Biggs!" Luke protested, a little laugh in his voice.

Biggs walked closer, and reached for Luke. Luke watched as he first stretched for the synthetic hand, then his fingers spasmed. He recovered quickly, taking Luke's left hand in his. "You said you wanted to talk. Once we knew if I'd be staying."

Luke nodded. "It doesn't have to be now. I think I can manage to rein my anticipation in for a few more days, at least. Give you some time to settle."

"I don't think I can settle properly until this is handled." Biggs tightened his grip on Luke's hand. "I'm a mess these days, Luke. After Yavin…" Pain flashed across Biggs' face.

"You don't need to talk about it."

Biggs looked conflicted. "I do, at least this bit." Biggs took a deep breath. "Right. So. I have nightmares, I'm probably never going to be able to fly a snubfighter in vacuum again, I get claustrophobic, I have panic attacks. It's gotten better recently, but a lot of that was because of Cloud City. It was the first place I felt safe in a long time."

"I'm so sorry." Luke bit his lip. "I never wanted to confront the Empire there."

"I know," Biggs scoffed, looking down at Luke, arching one eyebrow. "I don't know the whole story, but I know enough to see that you're not the one to blame, here. But what I'm saying is, I figure things are going to get worse for me before they get better. And with how bad things have been, that's a lot to ask anyone to endure."

"I've changed a lot, too," Luke said, not liking the conclusion Biggs was drawing, but not certain he could argue with it.

"You have. And I hate that I missed it. I don't want to miss anything else."

Luke tilted his head, not sure how to voice the question on his mind.

Biggs smiled, taking the hand he held and stretching it so Luke's palm was facing up. "Here's the thing, Luke, mess or not, I'm still yours. If you'll have me. I feel more right with you than I do with anyone else. I don't know how it'll work, but we've always been an us, Luke. I don't want to stop that, now."

Biggs shifted, letting go of Luke with his right hand. Biggs met Luke's eye, and a second later, Luke felt two of Biggs' fingers tap the middle of his palm. Luke swallowed. 

He knew that touch. It was a promise, in the freehold: quick tap for casual agreements, more firm and deliberate when you were forging a contract. He and Biggs had agreed to more trouble than Luke could count with that touch, mischief sealed in a quiet pact. Luke took Biggs' hand in return, laying his own two fingers against Biggs' palm, slow and careful. "It hasn't."

"Good." Biggs said softly. 

Luke smiled. Regardless of what had happened, regardless of what was to come, he and Biggs belonged together.

Though...so much had happened. The pain, the loss, his father, Han, even Owen and Beru, kriff, did Biggs even know what had happened to the farm? They had missed so much of each other. 

Luke started to say, "I've been through a lot, while you've been gone…" He shook his head, coming to his own quiet conclusion. It didn't matter. They still fit. Luke continued, "But as long as you're willing to put up with who I am now, of course I'll have you. You didn't even need to ask." 

"Asking's just polite," Biggs said, looking pleased. "I feel like we spent too much of our life assuming, rather than asking." 

Luke squeezed Biggs' hand. "Sounding so responsible there, Darklighter." 

"Don't look now, Luke, I think we might have grown up." 

Luke laughed. "Hey, Biggs?" 

"Hm?" 

"Speaking of asking...." Luke bit his lip, feeling faintly, ridiculously, nervous. "Will you kiss me?" 

"My favorite kind of question." 

Biggs leaned down and kissed Luke, slow and lingering and heady, his arms wrapping along Luke's back to pull him in close. Luke held Biggs in return, and in that embrace, he found home again. 

* * *

* * *

"Darklighter!"

Biggs froze as a familiar sounding voice echoed through the corridor behind him. Biggs slowly turned, blinking to find Wedge Antilles, still in his orange flight suit, sprinting up behind him. As Wedge skidded up behind him, Biggs managed a startled, "Antilles?" before Wedge's arms were around him. 

"I just got back," Wedge said, muffled against Biggs' chest. "Flight command just let me know." Wedge eventually pulled back to stare intently at Biggs' face. "Kriffin' hell, Darklighter, I never expected to see you again." 

Biggs gave a weak smile. "I know the feeling." 

There was something searching in the way Wedge's eyes flicked over his face. "I'll bet you've got a story to tell." 

Biggs swallowed. He wasn't much for storytelling, these days. 

Something in that must have shown on his face, Wedge quickly shook his head. "Later, maybe. But you're back?" 

Biggs nodded. "I'm back." 

Wedge gave a half-smile. "Bet Luke is happy. He didn't talk about you much, but…I could tell he missed you."

Biggs winced. "I missed him too. I wasn't trying to stay away." 

Wedge tilted his head, before making a dismissive gesture. "Of course you weren't. It's a big galaxy. Shit happens." 

Biggs felt something in him relax at that easy absolution. Shit happened. He was here now. 

"Don't know if Luke told you, but what's left of Red turned into Rogue squadron. He was our boss, for a while." Wedge's lips pursed, a flash of irritation, quickly masked. "It's on me now, but if you want a spot, you just let me know. It'd be good to fly with you again." 

Panic flared in Biggs chest, his heart kicked into overtime at the mere thought of the X-Wing he once loved being the only barrier between him and the stars. He knew how fragile it was. How quickly things went wrong. There wasn't enough air, desperate breaths counting for nothing as recycled oxygen ran out, leaving him to die, gasping in the black night— 

Wedge's hand anchored his shoulder, grip firm and a little painful. Biggs came back to himself, raw shame washing over him. He looked away. "I don't think I'm fit for snubfighters anymore," he said quietly. 

Wedge's response was a quiet shoulder pat, before his hand withdrew again. 

An awkward silence filled the hallway. Biggs took a step backward. "I should...go." 

Wedge gave him a considered look. "Biggs, whatever you end up doing, I'm glad you're back." 

"Thanks," Biggs said, backing up a couple more steps before turning and walking down a hallway at random, just desperate to get away. 

Biggs' feet traced strange corridors, while his mind trod over all too familiar thoughts. He had lost everything that had been important to him. And now he was getting it back, but it was broken, the sharp-edged shards of dreams leaving him bleeding. 

Why was he even here? Maybe he should have just stayed lost. He'd hurt people less, if he had been able to slide into heroic memory, instead of being resurrected in useless fact. 

After awhile, Biggs looked up, blinking as he realized he was well and truly lost. Hopefully he'd find his way out before he accidentally wandered into a section of the ship so restricted they'd throw him in the brig for stumbling over it. That would be the crowning glory of his triumphant return to the Rebellion. 

Three more left turns, and then a right, just to switch things up, and Biggs was still lost. Thinking uncharitable thoughts about the way the Mon Calamari labeled their ships (or didn't label their ships, in this case), Biggs stared down a corridor exactly like the last three corridors he had stared down, and felt nearly overwhelmed by how little he belonged in this place. 

"It's a maze in here." 

Biggs nearly jumped out of his skin, turning in a whirl to face… "Lando!" 

"Started following you a couple hallways back. You were doing that almost-speedwalk you do when you're lost." 

Biggs could feel himself relax, comfortable conversation slipping around him like a favorite blanket. "I do not have a lost almost-speedwalk." 

"Uh-huh? So where are we, brighteyes?" Lando grinned, head tipped in a smug little gesture. 

"I…have no idea." 

"That's what I thought, come on, I'll get you back to civilization." Lando grabbed his elbow, started tugging Biggs back down the hallway he came from. "You staying with Luke?" 

"Yes," Biggs said, then rolled his eyes at Lando's eyebrow waggle. Biggs let himself be pulled along for a few seconds, before realizing, "Honestly, though, if you could point me in the direction of the mess hall, that'd be more useful. I think I missed lunch."

Lando tutted. "Really, Biggs, first you get stranded on a desert planet, and then you get so lost on the ship you miss lunch? I'm beginning to get worried about your survivability, here." 

Biggs gave a laugh. "I'm still here, aren't I? Can't be doing too badly."

Lando paused, turning to give Biggs a smile. Biggs felt his stomach twist. He had taken to thinking of that smile as his Personal Smile. Lando was very good at making you believe he was smiling for you, and you alone. 

"That you are," Lando said softly, the words running like a fizz of excitement down Biggs' spine.

Biggs gave an internal sigh. Apparently, his inappropriate crush on his boss was dying a slow death, somehow managing to even survive his reunion with Luke. Well, Lando had always been too pretty and charming for his own good. Biggs could forgive his heart the confusion. 

Not to mention, from the moment Lando had guided Biggs away from the scavs, he had always felt safe with Lando's charisma-wrapped care. With how disorienting the rest of his life was right now, Biggs was ready to grab whatever safety he could. 

"How are you settling in?" Lando asked as they started walking again. 

"Fine," Biggs said.

"Fine?" Lando had let go of his elbow, but shot Biggs a skeptical look as they walked, side-by-side. "That's not what I expected." 

Biggs gave a helpless shrug. "It balances out to fine, I think. There's good and bad." 

"The good?" Lando asked. 

"Luke," Biggs responded easily.

"Well yes, I guessed that." Lando leaned over, nudging Biggs with his shoulder. "Quite the reunion the two of you had. What else?"

Biggs’ mind came up blank. "Letting people know I'm not dead, I suppose." He sighed. "It's all complicated. I'm not who I was when I left. They're not who they were, either. I'm not sure where I fit, now." 

Lando gave a solemn nod. "It takes some time to get your bearings."

"I miss Cloud City," Biggs said abruptly.

Lando stumbled. It was as inelegant as Biggs had ever seen him, a shuffling step before he caught himself again, looking stricken over at Biggs.

"I'm sorry—" Biggs started to apologize. Dust and sands, of all the dumb things to say. _He_ missed Cloud City?

"No, no." Lando waved him off. "I should apologize. I—" Lando broke off, looking frustrated, hands clenched to fists as he looked up, away, staring at something he could only see in memory. "I keep looking for another way I could have done things." 

"What happened?" Biggs asked. He hated asking. But he had to know. 

Lando's face locked down at that. "Why don't you let me get you to the mess hall, first." 

"The evacuation order came so suddenly, the Empire was shooting at us, if we hadn't been offsite…" 

Biggs trailed off as Lando laid a firm hand on his shoulder, nudging him down the hallway. "I know. I'll tell you. Kriff. You deserve the story. I…" Lando's hand withdrew again, hooked on his pockets as he walked forward, a little fast, and Biggs had to jog two steps to keep up with the sudden strides. "…I'm inclined to think you may not want to be around me after you know, and I'd rather not leave you lost, again." 

"Melodrama," Biggs accused, as he settled into the faster stride. "Always with the melodrama." 

"I wouldn't be me without it," Lando grinned, but it was a shadow of his normal glamor. Biggs could see the furious sad thing lurking at the edges of Lando's smile. 

Biggs realized he wasn't the only one with shattered dreams. 

The mess was empty, thankfully, long enough after lunch that everyone had cleared out, leaving empty tables and the ever-present prepackaged meals. Biggs grabbed a likely-looking sandwich and a chair, Lando sliding in across from him, mug of caf in his hand. 

"Alright." Lando sighed, staring at his caf mug. "What do you know?" 

"There was an evacuation. The Empire was involved." Biggs took a bite of the sandwich and thought back to what Luke had said, wondering whether or not it was private. He swallowed, and decided that Lando could be trusted, even if it was. "Luke was there. He fought Vader?" The words came out as a question, Biggs still unable to believe that had happened. 

Lando nodded, though, like Biggs had just said a simple fact, like a farmboy fighting the Emperor's personal dread knight was an everyday occurrence. "You've got the basics. The details are a little more grim." 

Almost dispassionately, not looking up from his caf mug, Lando recounted the last days of Cloud City. The Empire coming, holding the city hostage in exchange for one man, Lando making the devil's bargain to keep his people safe. Lying to his old friend, to the Princess, all in an attempt to— 

To lure _Luke_. Luke! Sure, Biggs was aware Luke had a price on his head. You don't destroy the pinnacle of the Empire's war machine and get away scot free. But this was more than a lucky shot. Luke was apparently Force-touched, and the galaxy knew it, the Empire knew it, and they wanted him, badly. 

"Vader didn't keep his bargain. I was honestly surprised." Lando shook his head, eyes still locked on the dark liquid. "I shouldn't have been, I suppose. But he took Han, froze him in carbonite and sold him like leftover furniture. Force only knows what he was going to do with Leia and Chewie." He looked up, meeting Biggs’ eyes for the first time. "So I broke them out. Brought the Empire's fury down on us while I did it." 

"That's when you called the evacuation." 

Lando nodded, and looked away again. "We left Luke there, got on the Falcon and ran. Leia, she heard, him, though. Think he was able to call to her. We found him dangling from a damn weather vane, on the underside of the city. He looked—" Lando stopped, mouth still open like he was waiting to find the word that filled it. "Bad. It was bad." 

Biggs looked down at his mostly-uneaten sandwich. He was having trouble mustering the appetite. "He seems better now." 

"Oh, he's absolutely better. But that doesn't change the fact…I was willing to sell him out to save my city. I did sell him out to try to save my city, but I messed that one up, too." Lando looked up at Biggs, rich brown eyes peeking out behind dark lashes. "So…should I leave you be?" 

Biggs reached out, put his hand on Lando's wrist. "I love Luke, you know." 

"I know. I'd put money on him loving you too, whether or not he's said anything about it." Lando gave a sad smile.

Biggs brushed that off. "I loved Cloud City too. You made it a good home. If I had known everything that was going on...I don't know if I would have chosen any differently. You made the best decision you could." 

To Biggs' amazement, Lando's eyes started to shine, he gave a few quick blinks and looked up and away. After a moment he took a deep breath and turned back to Biggs. His voice was rough when he said, "I don't think I can say just how much that means to me."

Biggs patted Lando's arm and started to pull his hand back. "It's true." 

Faster than Biggs was expecting, Lando's hand shot out and grabbed Biggs’ wrist. "Biggs, you'll find your place here. I know I did."

"Do you need a staff?" Biggs asked, unable to keep the hope out of his voice. Of everything he could do, working with Lando made the most sense. 

Lando paused, tilting his head to the side like he always did when he was thinking. He didn't let go of Biggs’ arm, which caused a quiet warm delight to grow in Biggs' chest. 

"Well, if you're offering, I could certainly make use of you. You already understand how I work. I'm warning you, it is ninety percent spreadsheets, ten percent getting shot at while trying to consolidate deals." 

"I'm excellent at both those things." Biggs grinned. 

Biggs’ comm chimed, and they both startled, slightly, Lando letting go of Biggs arm a little too fast, Biggs feeling a little guilty as he reached for his comm. They weren't doing anything inappropriate. He didn't know why his heart was hammering like they had been caught.

"Luke?" Biggs asked as he read the comm code. 

"Yep! I was just wondering if you wanted to grab an early dinner with me." 

"Ah," Biggs stared down at his sandwich with three bites taken out of it. "I was just in the middle of attempting a late lunch. It wasn't going well. Early dinner sounds better." 

"I'm not sure there's a difference, aside from semantics," Luke said, wry twist to his tone.

"I'll be going," Lando murmured quietly, inclining his head to Biggs and his comm. 

Not quietly enough, as Luke quickly said, "Oh, wait, are you with Lando? Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt—" 

Biggs jumped as Lando's arm settled on his shoulder, and Lando leaned over to say, "It's fine, Luke. We were just wrapping up. I'm happy to leave him to your delightful company."

"Did you want to come?" Luke asked. 

The way Lando's fingers twitched against Biggs shoulder made Biggs wish he could see Lando's face. There was an odd note in his voice when he replied, "That's a kind offer, but I'm drowning in work. Another time." 

Lando turned and walked out of the room, Biggs watched him, reeling slightly from the abrupt departure. It took him a minute to realize Luke was talking. "Sorry, what was that?" 

"I was wondering if you wanted to meet me in the observation deck," Luke responded patiently. "The view is nice." 

Biggs winced. "Um…"

"Oh, shit, the view is stars," Luke said ruefully. 

"Yeah. It might be fine—"

"Hey, how about we go back to quarters? I'm sure we can think of something fun to do there," Luke said, enough suggestion in his tone that Biggs was suddenly very glad that Lando had decided to go somewhere else. 

"Sounds like fun," he said, trying to match the tone. 

He sighed as he abandoned his sandwich to the trash. It had been years. It was stupid, that even the idea of stargazing was enough to set him off. Stupid, but true, he grumbled to himself as he made his way back to his quarters, trying to shake off his black mood enough to enjoy time with Luke. 

* * *

* * *

Lando was happy for Biggs and Luke. He honestly, truly was. 

"Really?" Leia asked, pushing flyaway strands out of her face as she stared at the tactical map. "Because I thought you and Luke were..." She trailed off, letting a vague hand gesture fill in the implications.

"Maybe we were. It doesn't matter. He's got his lost lover come back from the dead. I'm not enough of a sucker for punishment to try to compete with that." He nodded at the map. "Shipwrights Trace has some potential. It's a less-utilized route, less patrols." 

"It's bottlenecked, though, I don't like that, tactically." Leia drummed her fingers against the console. "Still, there's a difference between knowing that someone has a better claim, and actually being happy for them." 

Lando moved over to the bottleneck Leia was talking about. "We're not moving contraband, we're trying to figure out our food route. The bottleneck shouldn't be a huge issue. Still…" Lando shifted his attention to alternate routes. "There's the Harrin Trade Corridor. It's a major road, more patrols, but more opportunity to slip by." 

"That might be better." Leia looked at the route, comparing it to their supplier's home planets. "You didn't answer my question." 

"And I thought we were here to work," Lando teased, but still answered, "Luke's been an important friend since...everything. Biggs is one of my best employees. If they're happy with each other, then I'm thrilled. Romance back from the dead. That's a story not many people get, I'm not going to sulk because it overrode my flirtation." 

Leia grunted, and Lando would have thought it was disbelief, if he didn't see the pain cross her eyes. He crossed around the console, coming to stand next to her. "Han's not dead," he said softly. 

"He'd better not be. If he is, I'll kill him." Leia huffed at her own weak joke, and Lando laid an arm on her shoulder. 

"We'll get him back." 

Leia looked at him, nodding seriously. "We will."

So Lando wasn't telling the entire truth. So maybe what he had with Luke had meant a damn sight more to him than a flirtation. And maybe his feelings for Biggs weren't as entirely professional as he made them out to be. It didn't matter. He was still happy for them. Delighted, that the people he cared about were happy. 

Now all Lando had to do was give his own heart the time and space to heal. 

This would be a great deal easier if he could manage to keep from meddling.

"I just don't understand it," Luke snapped out, frustrated and wincing in pain. 

Lando leaned on the wall of Medical, flinching in sympathy as the med-droid opened Luke's arm and prodded at the connections. "What don't you understand?" 

"Why he didn't try to _find me._ " Luke hissed in pain. 

Lando folded his hands in front of him so he wouldn't be tempted to reach for Luke. It wasn't his place to try to soothe that pain anymore. Instead, Lando focused on the pain he could do something about. "I don't want to go sharing someone else's story, but Biggs was in rough shape when he came to me. Even if he did find you…I think he needed to spend some time healing himself, first." 

Luke was still tense, gradually relaxing as the med droid flipped his arm case shut and sealed the wires away again. "I guess that makes sense." 

"Also, it's not exactly simple to find a hidden Rebel military force. We do put an awful lot of effort into staying hidden." 

Luke chuckled, and Lando relaxed, seeing the worst of the pain leave him. 

"Thanks," Luke said, hopping off the cot. "I know it's probably awkward, talking about your employee…"

"Biggs is my friend," Lando said easily. "It's in my best interests that you two get along. And you're welcome."

If it was just the one conversation, it wouldn't have been so bad. 

"Have you told Luke what happened to you?" Lando asked, trying to be casual as he and Biggs scanned the reports. 

"I told him about how I survived the Death Star," Biggs' cheek twitched, but aside from that, he seemed to be handling the conversation well enough.

"What about what happened after. I know"—Lando held up a hand to forestall the protest building in Biggs—"you don't talk about it. You should consider telling him, though. It feels like the sort of thing he should know." 

Biggs sighed. "You're right. Of course. It's just...it's hard. He gets all twisted and angry now. He was never like that before." 

"He's lost quite a bit, too," Lando said gently. "There's some anger that goes along with that." 

Biggs sighed and nodded. "I need to remember it's not really about me." 

"Biggs, Luke was joy incarnate when you walked into his life again. Never doubt that he's happy you're around." 

Biggs gave an exhausted nod, and they both went back to reports. 

The problem was, Lando couldn't help himself. First Biggs, then Luke—he had spent his time these past couple years trying to help patch these two broken young men back together. It turned out, that wasn't a habit that went away just because your presence in their life became less appropriate. 

So he nudged Luke into taking Biggs along to his medical appointments, he coached Biggs through the basics of Luke's Jedi abilities, he clued Luke in to the worst of Biggs’ triggers, he helped Biggs figure out how to get Luke to relax. 

He tried to stay out from between them, he really did, but he couldn't stand to see them hurting. So he meddled, and they healed, even if his own heart didn't. 

* * *

* * *

"Does how much I talk to Lando about us ever bother you?" Luke asked out of the blue one day, neck-deep in his X-Wing's engine. 

Biggs stood next to Luke, staring at the diagnostic pad, and said, "It looks like the issue might be with your O2 sensor." He stopped, letting Luke's words actually filter through his awareness. "Um, no?" 

"That's the third time it's glitched. I think it might be the circuit. Let me run an electrical system test."

Luke started running the test and Biggs shifted, Luke's question still bothering him. "Why did you ask? About Lando?" 

Luke pulled himself out of the engine and ran his fingers through his hair, a bit of grease catching along the tips. He looked tousled and kissable, and Biggs had to weigh his desire to get an answer to the question against the very appealing notion of taking Luke into his arms. He stayed strong. 

"I don't know." Luke wrinkled his nose, not at all helping Biggs' commitment to keep his hands off. "He's sort of your boss? I was just thinking that I could see that it would be strange." 

"He knows me pretty well," Biggs said. "I talk with him about you, too. It never occurred to me that it might be an issue." 

"Then it's probably not." Luke smiled, looking relaxed. "I just wanted to check." 

That settled, Biggs gave into his instincts and herded Luke up against the X-Wing, pressing him up against the landing gear and kissing him slowly. 

Luke gave a delighted sigh into the kiss, saying, when Biggs finally pulled back, "Reminds me of old times, you and me, a malfunctioning vehicle…"

"That's getting repaired a little more slowly than usual, since its mechanics are distracted with other things." Biggs grinned and kissed Luke again, who seemed to have no objections to this turn of events. 

It was a good afternoon. Nearly a good evening, too. It started well, laughter over dinner. As he ate, though, Luke got more and more withdrawn, jokes dying off and sentences growing shorter. By the time they went to bed, Biggs reached for Luke to find Luke shrugging off his hand. 

"Not now, please," Luke said softly, and Biggs, trying to hide his hurt, pulled away. The narrow slice of mattress between them felt like a failure, one that Biggs didn't know how to fix.

* * *

Biggs finished his letter to the Whiforlan Trade Consulate, sealed it with the completely legitimate Traders Guild logarithm that was just a little bit...stolen from it's rightful owners, and sent it off to be shuffled through fifteen different blind drops. 

"That's excellent, thank you, I'll talk to you soon." Lando's bright smile faded as the holoscreen shut off, and he relaxed back into the chair. "I hate negotiating with Bothans. I haven't got the knack yet of reading their fur ripples." 

"I'm sure you'll get the hang of it. Our trade access request got submitted for processing." 

"Perfect," Lando said. "Sooner or later we'll actually have this ragtag group of renegades functioning like a reasonable enterprise. Nice work. I think we're done for the day…" Lando paused, looking at him. "You doing okay? You look exhausted." 

"I'm fine." Biggs attempted a smile. 

"Living on a ship getting to you?" Lando asked with compassionate concern.

"No more than usual. It's not great, but it's not…" Biggs shrugged. "It's not the main thing. Just having trouble settling in general." 

"How so? Can I help?" 

Biggs looked at his friend. "You've already helped a lot. It's...just me and Luke again. You've got to be sick of me talking that through with you." 

There was a tightness around Lando's eyes, but he shook his head emphatically as he responded, "The two of you are just getting used to each other again. It's clear you're over the moon for each other, and"—his smile was soft and honest—"who doesn't like helping two people in love? What's going on?" 

"It's just...hard. He gets distant sometimes and I don't understand it." Biggs gave the datapad a morose look. "We should have this figured out by now." 

"You've had a few months together against years spent apart. Pretty important years. Don't beat yourself up. So, what sort of distant?" Lando asked. 

"I don't know, he pulls away and he doesn't want to be touched. It's hard. I'm pretty…" Biggs patted his hands together, looking for the word. 

"You are a tactile person, aren't you?" Lando mused. "Luke is too, I don't see why it would be an issue…" 

Biggs shrugged, feeling miserable. "He was before. It was easy. Even if we couldn't talk there was that…"

Lando held up his hand. "Wait, is it more near the end of the day?" 

"Yeah?" Biggs asked, eagerness in his voice. Even if he was doing something wrong, maybe there was a chance he could fix it.

"He's in pain." Lando twitched, looking almost irritated. "His body's still rebuilding the neural connections with the new hand. He pushes himself too hard, and that starts a pain feedback." Lando shook his head. "He knows better."

"It's good to know there's a reason." Biggs gave a quiet sigh of relief, glad to know it wasn't him messing things up. It was lucky that Lando knew Luke so well. He had seen so many things that Biggs had missed. 

"More than a reason, there's a solution, too. External feedback helps the pain." Lando looked hesitant for a moment, but before Biggs could ask why, Lando swept his cape to the side and sat down with a determined look in his eye, reaching for Biggs’ hand. "Here, I'll show you what to do." 

Biggs relinquished his hand, eyeing Lando thoughtfully as Lando grabbed the limb. "Okay," Lando said, focusing. "Pain feedback for Luke centers here." 

Biggs had to fight to keep from groaning, as Lando's thumb dug into the center of his palm. For Luke. This was for Luke. He was paying attention so that he could help Luke, but Mother of Deserts and the Stars that Light Them, Lando's touch against his palm felt amazing. 

"It trails down..." 

Oh, kriff, not down. Biggs bit the inside of his cheek as those same hands traced down his arm, landing right about where Luke's prosthetic met his arm. Biggs looked down, his skin was gone over in goosebumps, a physical reaction he couldn't manage to hide.

"Now this area," Lando's hands circled Biggs’ arm, "the joint has mostly healed, but it still aches, especially when there's pressure from the side." Lando squeezed, and Biggs' toes curled.

"So don't do that," Biggs said, fighting to concentrate. 

"Very good." Lando started working his thumb up and down the arm. "Vertical motion, that's the trick." 

Biggs spent several eternities (in reality, about five seconds) fighting with a desperate desire to crawl over the table and into Lando's lap, settle down there and kiss as those clever fingers danced along his skin. 

"How did you learn this?' Biggs said, trying desperately to focus again. 

"Ah, practice, you know," Lando patted Biggs arm and then pulled back. "Just keep trying things until you find out what works." 

"Practice, huh? Just what exactly did you and Luke get up to, Mister Calrissian?" Biggs joked in self-defense, his mind racing over the sudden and intense attraction that had just slammed into him. 

Was he really that desperate for physical affection? No. He and Luke had more good days then bad. It wasn't the touch, it was the person. He liked Lando, he trusted Lando, and he should have paid more attention to his half-hearted crush on Lando, because apparently, it had grown into something loud and undeniable. 

He looked back up to find Lando pale, looking startled. Biggs swallowed. He hadn't meant to be so obvious. But as Biggs watched, the startle turned to something wistful and sad. 

"Nothing, really," Lando finally said. "Anything we would have gotten up to...he wasn't over you."

"Lando, I—" Biggs tried to say, still reeling. 

"It's okay, really. I'm happy the two of you have each other. Truly. Please don't doubt that." Lando looked sincere, leaning in and starting to reach for Biggs, before pulling his hand back and folding it with his own. He also looked sad, haunted in the same way he seemed when he talked about Cloud City. 

"I don't." Biggs gave a weak smile. 

"Good. I...promised a dinner to someone. I'd better go. Wouldn't want to be late." Lando left, too fast and too gracelessly for those words to be true. 

His excuse may have been a lie, but the sentiment...Lando loved his city. But he was willing to leave to give her a chance of surviving. What, exactly, did that say about Lando and Luke? 

Biggs stared at the door Lando had exited. He had missed so much of Luke's life. It came out in painful little reminders, moments of distance, of pain, the moments when Luke's eyes focused into the distance before drawing to Biggs again... 

Biggs had missed many things, but the thing he hadn't even realized he was missing…was Lando. 

* * *

* * *

Luke staggered back to his quarters, arm aching from a long day's work. He opened the door to find Biggs sitting on their desk chair, looking serious. Luke internally winced. Time for another conversation. 

He loved having Biggs back in his life, but it was just...exhausting sometimes, how much work it took to have them come together, when they had once coexisted as easily as breathing. Worthwhile, important work, but tiring too, and it was starting to wear. 

"Is your arm hurting?" Biggs asked, gesturing at the limb. 

Luke blinked in surprise. "Yeah, a bit."

"Come here." Biggs gestured him over to the bed, and Luke sat. Biggs scooted the chair so he sat next to Luke, then gently took Luke's prosthetic arm. 

Luke gave him a sideways look. Biggs usually touched the prosthetic as little as possible. Luke could understand it, it was just another way he had changed: the difference between the man Biggs had known and the man Luke was now, written in synthflesh and circuits. But now, here Biggs was picking up the hand, digging his thumb into the palm, right where the worst of the feedback sat. 

Luke spent some time enjoying the touch, the relaxation from the lessening of the pain, and tipped forward, leaning his forehead against Biggs' shoulder. This was really very nice. It was also very abnormal. 

"So," Luke eventually decided to say, "talking with Lando again?" 

After a pause, Biggs brushed a kiss against the top of Luke's head. "Yeah. He clued me in that your hand might be hurting. Gave me some tips on how to fix it." 

"Nice of him." Luke yawned, the lessening of pain letting him relax, tiredness starting to take hold.

"It was…" Biggs trailed off, and Luke waited. This was a familiar sort of pause—Biggs had something to say, and he needed to sort his thoughts out in order to say it. "We rely on him. You never told me about your hand hurting. I couldn't figure it out on my own." 

"I guess we do need to get better at communication. I'll try. I'm sorry, it's just hard. To talk about things."

"I know." Biggs gave a self-depreciative chuckle. "You know that I know. But I think it means something, that we're better at talking with him than each other sometimes."

Luke pulled back off of Biggs' shoulder, unease sinking in. "A problem sort of something?" 

Biggs started working his fingers down Luke's arm. "I think we get to decide that. It doesn't have to be." 

"You're sounding awfully...serious there." Luke laughed, and he could hear the way it was shot through with nerves. 

Biggs moved his hand up Luke's arm, stopping when he was holding Luke's hand. Still very serious, in a way that made Luke's stomach twist, Biggs said, "I think I love him. Different from the way I love you, but it's there." 

Of everything Luke expected to hear Biggs say, that was not it, and his stomach did a complicated swoop and dive at the proclamation. "Oh. That's…" 

_Don't leave me._

Luke bit back the reaction. They wouldn't be having the conversation like this if Biggs was planning on throwing him over for Lando. For the man that had given him a home when he needed one, who Biggs clearly felt safe confiding in, whose company Biggs seemed to prefer to any of his old Rebellion contacts…

"Would you be happier with him?" Luke asked, and he resolved, that no matter what the answer was, he was going to support Biggs. 

"I think…I might?"

Luke pulled his hand back, tried not to do something petty and dramatic like sobbing or storming out of the room. "I wouldn't…stop you if—" 

"Oh, _kriff_ , no, Luke, I'm not—" Biggs grabbed Luke's hand again in both of his, pulling it close to his chest. With one hand, he anchored it there, and his other reached out again, finding Luke's jaw and bringing him around to face Biggs again. "I'm still yours. That hasn't changed." 

"I'm missing something." Luke drew his eyebrows together, wanting to trust Biggs’ reassurance, but still not understanding it. 

"I'd be happier if—" Biggs’ eyes lit up as he thought of something. "Remember the Windkeepers?"

Luke blinked at the change of topic. He did, vaguely—another family of freeholders in the Jundland Wastes, their farms were on the Eastern Bank. Three children, all younger than Luke and Biggs both, two from Jop and Seela, one by Seela and Krick— 

"Oh," Luke said softly, his eyes widening. 

Jop and Seela _and Krick_. It wasn't common in the freeholding but it wasn't unheard of, either—sometimes another body really helped around a farm. So long as everyone could support each other, there wasn't any sort of issue. 

Biggs smiled as Luke caught on. "Exactly. Now, we're lightyears away from that time and place, but I'm lookin' at our holding, Luke," Biggs gave a wry smile and dropped the hand at Luke's jaw to gesture around their room, then between the two of them, "And I'm thinkin' we'd be well served to bring in another partner. How about that Lando fellow? We both seem to like him well enough." 

Luke felt a reluctant chuckle building in him, at Biggs' deliberate drawl. Biggs had never sounded like that even when they were both desert hicks. He had always been too determined to walk the walk and talk the talk that would get him off Tatooine forever. 

"I'm not sure our holdin' is quite big enough to support another body," Luke lapsed into his own drawl, with a meaningful nod at the bed. 

"Well, if we're careful with the offer, I suspect that Lando would be willing to throw some of his own estate into the communal share. It's a lot of property for one man. He must get lonely." Biggs dropped Luke's hand and in his more usual tone, said, "No, seriously Luke, have you _seen_ his bed? If that's your only objection, we're fine."

"I…" Luke was pretty sure that wasn't his only objection, he just couldn't think of any others right now. "Do you think he'd even be interested?" 

Biggs gave a lopsided smile. "In you, certainly. Tonight, when we talked about"—Biggs gestured at Luke's hand—"that, I found out you and he had a…thing? He was vague, but—"

" _It_ was vague," Luke said in a rush. "But, there was a start of something, maybe. But then you came back and he dropped it. It made things easier, and I was grateful for that…" 

"I don't think he's over you. And, I know I'm on shakier ground here, but I don't think you're over him, either." Biggs winced as he said it, clearly expecting some pushback. 

Luke found he couldn't push. "Maybe? I'm happy with you, though, I've never wanted—"

"Me either. We don't need to figure it out now. But I needed it said." Biggs hesitated, then grabbed Luke's hand again, stretching the fingers out, palm up. Biggs tapped the center of the palm with two fingers. "We never got around to making each other promises while we were back on Tatooine."

Luke smiled at that, the old freehold gesture of commitment. "Did you know, when you left for the Academy, there was so much gossip? 'Poor Luke, his most likely partner left, and you know kids that leave don't come back.' 'Oh, but you know, young Skywalker never made that Darklighter boy any sort of troth. He felt driven to it, you know.' Stuff like that."

Biggs laughed. "You never told me that!" 

"Yeah, it was embarrassing! We were sixteen and wanted to be dashing pilots, I wasn't going to do anything like open formal negotiations for you to join the Lars freehold. Can you even imagine how you would have taken that?"

"Not...well." Biggs face wrinkled in amusement. 

"Exactly. But for all that…" Luke turned Biggs hand up, tapped his own two fingers into Biggs' palm. "If it was going to be anyone, it was going to be you." 

"It is you, Luke," Biggs said simply. 

There was a part of Luke that had always been restless, staring out at the star-soaked night, desperate to fling himself into it. Wandering...searching...for what, he was never quite sure. An adventure? A purpose? 

Well, he had found both in spades, but there was still a longing, still a driving, still a pull from distant stars. Failure and loss had soured the pull, it no longer tasted sweet to his soul, warping it into a bitter reminder that he could not stop. 

In Biggs’ words, Luke's soul found rest. "I love you," he said, and tapped his fingers again, promising what he could, the best way he knew how.

"I love you too." Biggs shifted forward, pressing Luke back into the bed and crawling on top of him. He leaned down, kissing Luke's nose. "So much. Think about it? With Lando?" 

Luke nodded, sleep starting to hit him as pain faded and contentment rose. "In the—" he was interrupted by a massive yawn. 

"Morning, yeah." Biggs nudged Luke over, until he was curled up around Luke, and feeling safe and warm, Luke drifted. 

Sleep was elusive, though. His mind, not worried, but full, kept circling around the events of the day. He loved Biggs, Biggs loved him, Biggs loved Lando too, at least a bit, and for good reason. Lando was kind and warm and supportive, even when it would be easier not to be. 

Luke relaxed into Biggs' arms, and remembered the echo of another set of arms, bracketing him on a lilypad, a moment so warm and romantic he had half-convinced himself it was only true in his dreams. But that was Lando, wasn't it? Easy to be with, easy to talk to, easy to love. 

Luke reached back with his elbow, nudging Biggs, who came awake with a little, "Hrm?" 

"I think I love him too," Luke whispered, feeling light and giddy as he snuggled back into Biggs' arms. 

"Good," Biggs said, pleased and sleepy. He reached forward, brushing a kiss against the back of his head. "Good." 

Sleep came easily, after that. 

* * *

* * *

Of course, the next morning _would_ be the morning that two members of Biggs old security team were shipping out with their new squadron, and Biggs was determined to get up eye-achingly early to see them off with Lando.

"I won't bring it up until we've had a chance to talk about it more." Biggs brushed a kiss against Luke's cheek as he was heading out the door. "Promise."

Luke grumbled a bit, then shooed him off. Biggs would go straight to work after that, and Luke, to his surprise had a message waiting from an unfamiliar comm code, belonging to one Captain Rex, Pathfinder. He requested a visit. 

"Sir?" Luke asked as he entered the room. 

"Skywalker," Rex said, a wry smile peeking under the edges of his white beard. "Thanks for coming."

"Of course, happy to." 

Luke paused, expecting the Captain to come out with the reason he had paged Luke. He didn't say anything though, his eyes raking over Luke, something haunted in his expression. 

"Did you want to request my assistance for a mission?" Luke asked, unnerved by the intensity of his gaze. 

It wasn't an unreasonable question. His status with the Rebellion was...odd, now, still holding rank but not assigned to any unit. For a while, his only job was to get used to his new hand and try to heal. But he was healing, and as word got around, one unit or another would request his assistance. Luke enjoyed going. It felt useful.

Which was why it was such a surprise that Rex's reaction was to blurt out, "Oh _kriff no!_. No offence, Luke, but you couldn't pay me enough to go chasing after another Skywalker." 

Luke blinked, something cold stealing over him. "Another...?" 

The man smiled, shaking his head and seeming to come back to the present. "The name is Captain Rex, of the 501st, and I had the privilege of fighting with your father during the Clone Wars."

_"I am your father."_

Luke shivered, going pale. "Oh." 

"I know that look," Rex said with a quiet sigh. 

Luke really doubted that was true. 

"Let's get this out of the way. Yes, I'm a clone. No, don't worry." Rex tipped his head, showing a thick scar along the base of his hairline. "I was able to remove my inhibitor chip. I had nothing to do with the massacre that ended the Jedi." Rex's eyes turned shadowed. "Well, aside from the fact that I couldn't stop it."

Luke stood there, staring like a fool, no doubt, jaw slack and eyes wide. This man knew his father. If he had come to Luke, scarce months before, Luke would have seized the opportunity. Would have begged for more information. But no, he came now, when everything related to his father was all tangled up inside Luke, tied together with a missing hand and a horrifying offer. 

_"Join me, and together we can rule the galaxy as father and son."_

Did Rex know? 

"Why are you here _now?_ " Luke asked.

Rex looked sorrowful. "I should have come sooner. I was in a remote cell, it took a while for news of you to filter down. But even so, I heard the name Skywalker and....at the same time your father died I lost my friends, my family, and I have to admit, I didn't want to bring that all back up again." 

"I...can understand that," Luke said, his mind racing. It didn't sound like Rex had come to rat out Luke's possible parentage. 

"When we thought we lost you, after Hoth, I regretted not taking the chance. So when I finally heard you showed up again..." Rex inclined his head, gestured to himself. "I made myself get over here. And here you are. Definitely his son."

"What...what makes you say that?" 

"You look like him." Rex smiled. "Though, you have some of your mother's bearing in you too."

Luke's eyes widened. "You knew my mother?"

Rex waved is hand in a back-and-forth "sort of" gesture. "The Jedi weren't supposed to have partners, spouses, so he kept it hidden. Still, there was really only one candidate. He wore his heart on his sleeve." 

Luke gave a weak smile. He wasn't sure how to compare the man Rex was talking about with the protective lies of his childhood. Or how to reconcile either one against the spectre of a monster with a red blade. Still, there was something there, "I know a thing or two about that." 

"I don't have an agenda. I just wanted you to know that I existed. And that I was willing to talk to you, about your father...and your mother, for that matter, though I knew her less well." 

Luke licked his lips. Whatever his father had become, the idea of knowing better the man he once was…impossible to pass up. "I'd like that. Do you have time to talk now?" 

"Of course." Rex said, gesturing at the chairs. "Anything in particular you want to know?" 

"What was he like?" Luke asked, the quiet desire of his heart spilling out in the question.

Rex told him. Stories of an impulsive young man, too much on his shoulders in a war he had never asked for. A brave warrior, compassionate to a fault, willing to sacrifice to see the right thing done. A loyal companion. 

Luke was not sure how to feel about the fact that those were words his friends may have used to describe him. Once, it would have been all he ever wanted, but now…

_"Search your feelings, you know it to be true."_

If he shared his father's past, was he doomed to share his future?

"Now, the very fact that you've sat so patiently while I've said all that certainly means you're your mother's son, as well. Anakin never could hold still. Padmé, though, she had a knack for listening. Made you feel heard. I never understood how he managed to hold on to her."

"Do you think his relationship was a mistake?"

Rex was silent a long moment. "Your father made many mistakes, it's true. Me and my brothers had to clean up after a lot of them. And I'm not thrilled he lied to us. That said, I wouldn't say he was wrong. He was always happier, after he'd seen her. I wish they could have lived in a galaxy where they didn't have to hide who they were to each other."

Luke nodded, and while he was still thinking that through, Rex yawned. 

"Sorry about that, it was a hell of a haul to get over here, and the lag's catching up with me." 

"I should let you rest." 

"Ah, I've got a bit more left in me." Rex waved him off. 

"And I've got plenty to think about," Luke said with a smile. "Please, get some sleep. If you're willing to do this again, I'd be grateful, but I think I need some time to just...chew it over." 

Rex nodded. "Fair. It was good talking to you, Luke. Maybe you'll change my mind about working with another Skywalker yet." 

"You might want to reconsider that." Luke said ruefully. "I can manage to get myself into a powerful amount of trouble."

"Yeah, that sounds right. You're aware of it though, so you're already a step ahead." Rex clapped Luke on the shoulder, a gesture that Luke suspected was for another man in another time. "Just don't throw me off any walls, okay?" 

"O—kay?" Luke furrowed his forehead. 

"It's a long story. Wait, no it isn't, your dad flung me off of walls with the force and it was terrible. Granted, things were exploding at the time, but still terrible." Rex smiled. 

Luke gave a serious little nod. "I will do my best to not throw you off of walls." 

"Eh, he caught me too. I suppose that was the important thing." Rex yawned again. "Okay, time for me to get some more sleep. Take care, Luke. Talk again?" 

"Definitely." 

Luke's mind was full as he wandered back to his room, dizzying implications of the conversation weighing down on him. His father had once been a young man, not so unlike him, talented enough that others placed the burdens of a galaxy on his shoulders. 

Anakin hadn't handled that well, the memory of rasping breath and grasping hands reminded Luke. 

His father had once been in love, a love filled with lies, but a love nonetheless. He was the product of their love written bright on the human soul. He was the product of the lies, born as the Republic shattered.

Who was he? What was he? How could he avoid making his father's mistakes?

Luke could only think of one thing, and he reached for his comm. "Biggs?" 

After a moment, the crackling return, "Yep." 

"When you get done today, could you bring Lando over? There's something I need to say." 

"Luke, is it—" 

"No, no, it's...a conversation that needs to happen first, I think. I need to tell both of you. I'd rather do it at once." 

"You're making me worried, Luke." 

"Sorry about that." Luke didn't have any better reassurance. 

"Alright, well, we're wrapping up here. I'll see you soon?" 

Luke sighed. Time to drag things into the light. "Sounds good." 

* * *

* * *

Lando had crossed a line. 

He must have, it was the only explanation for why Biggs, at the end of the workday, had quietly asked if he'd come back to Biggs and Luke's room, because Luke had something he wanted to share. 

He shouldn't have tipped his hand about knowing Luke's pain. It was too much, too private. Lando sighed and trailed miserably after Biggs. He'd hear them out, apologize, and then stay _out_ of their business. Even if it meant watching them hurt without fixing it. He had to be okay with that.

It just seemed cruel, inviting back to their quarters just to shut him out entirely. 

Lando shushed his own chattering mental voice. Privacy was at a premium, on a ship like this. That's all. Nothing meant by it. 

Luke was waiting, sitting cross-legged on the bed when they came in. Biggs sat down next to him, and Lando, feeling distinctly like he was being marched to his own execution, was gestured into the desk seat across from them. 

"Thanks for coming," Luke said to him. 

"Of course," Lando said, settling. He took a deep breath, bracing for the blow. Better to rip the mediplast off. "What's going on?"

"Yeah, is everything okay?" Biggs asked, laying a hand on Luke's knee. 

Lando managed to avoid raising an eyebrow. Biggs didn't know? 

Luke gave a half smile. "It's…not any worse. But I had a conversation today and it made me realize, that there's something I need to tell you both. About what happened at Cloud City." 

Lando flinched at that. He had been forced to choose between his home and Luke, and first he had chosen one way, then another, nearly losing them both in the process. Luke was safe but he was scarred by that day. 

Well, so was Lando. 

So was Biggs, come to think of it. Lando glanced over at Biggs, saw the tension in the set of his jaw, watched as he worked through it and said, "Of course. We're listening." 

"Thank you," Luke said softly, looking from Biggs to Lando. "It means a lot." 

"Anytime," Lando said, leaning in. 

He had a feeling this was something he wasn't going to want to hear, something that would heap even more guilt on his already-bowed soul. And yet, it was something that Luke wanted heard. So he was going to listen. 

"Right, so...Vader lured me there. He wanted to…" 

"Capture you," Lando filled in the quiet, all too aware of Vader's wishes, fighting away the memories of ghostly fingers around his neck, choking with no way to pry free. 

"Um…" Luke shook his head, not confirming. "We fought. He's so...strong. He's fast too. Going in, I thought I could beat him because…well, because I had to. Because the stakes were so high. Surely I couldn't lose." Luke looked down at his hand and wiggled his fingers, mechanical gears softly shifting under synthskin. 

"You made it out, Luke, that's the important thing. Nobody wins every fight," Biggs said, canting toward Luke in a protective gesture. 

Lando nodded along, trying to stay focused on what Luke was saying, and not just waiting for the other shoe to drop. There had to be a reason Luke wanted him along on this very private discussion about his worst day. At best, it was because Lando saw him at the end of it, could speak to his recovery. 

At worst… 

Luke was there because Lando had lied. There was a debt between them, and maybe this was the day Luke wanted to call it in. 

Luke sighed. "Between losing my hand, and getting away, Vader and I had a…conversation." 

Lando raised an eyebrow. 

Biggs was less circumspect. "A _what?_ "

"He had me helpless and he wanted to...talk." Luke went quiet, looking down at his hands. 

"What did he say, Luke?" Lando prompted gently. 

"He asked me what Obi-Wan had told me about my father. I spat it back in his face, that Obi-Wan had told me enough, my father had been killed by Vader." Luke swallowed. "Vader laughed." 

"That's terrible, Luke," Biggs said quickly. 

Lando wanted to lean forward and shush Biggs. Luke had more to share. He needed the space to share it. 

Luke nodded absently. "But Vader, he didn't—he just said, 'No,' and then," Luke lifted his chin and took a steady breath. "He said he was my father." 

Luke didn't look to him, or Biggs, after he made that announcement, just fixed his gaze at the middle distance, looking past them both.

Lando wasn't certain what to say. Something should be said, but what on earth was the right thing, in the face of a proclamation like that? 

"So is he?" Biggs asked, surprisingly practical. 

Luke looked over at Biggs, rolling his shoulders in something halfway between a shrug and a hunch. "Maybe? He thinks he is at least. And…this isn't going to make any sense, but it _feels_ right. In the Force. There's a feedback between us that I never felt with anyone else. I can't say for sure but…" Luke went quiet, looked down, and let the silence speak for him. 

Lando shot a look at Biggs, not sure what to say. Biggs was looking over at him, concern in his dark eyes. Lando shrugged, and Biggs looked back to Luke. 

Lando didn't know what to say. He didn't even understand why he was _here_. Biggs fit this story. He didn't. 

Luke's shoulders hitched, and Lando pushed his own worries away to focus back on Luke. After a slow, trembling breath, Luke said, "I decided not to tell anyone. I didn't want—I don't know. I just couldn't handle it, if other people knew. But then I realized that you two, you had to know." 

"Why?" Biggs asked, and Lando couldn't help but nod along. 

"So you could get away." Luke sounded miserable. "If it's true…I'm not so different from the man my father once was." 

"Not in a million years," Biggs answered smoothly, before Lando could so much as get a word in. He reached over, grabbing Luke's chin and bringing Luke's miserable face up to meet his. "I know you, Luke. And I'm not going anywhere." 

"Vader is—" 

"I know you," Biggs cut him off, insistent. "And more than that, I know that your father isn't some evil man in a mask that's known you for all of five minutes. Luke, sweetheart," Biggs smiled, leaning in, softly certain in what he was saying, "Owen may have called himself your uncle, but he was your father in every way that counts." 

"That's not what I'm saying—"

"Then it's what you should be saying! Owen's the one who let you look over his shoulder while he was fixing things, he's the one who put you behind a wheel and showed you which buttons to push, he's the one who wouldn't abide cruelty when you could choose to be kind. You remember when he marched us clear back to town when he found the stolen candy in our pockets, and made us apologize to Yxxie for stealing it?" 

Luke was smiling as he sniffed. "I'm not likely to forget it. I was petrified." 

"So was I. I was there, Luke, I was there for all of it. He could be grumpy, and abrasive, but he loved you to bits and refused to let you grow into anyone less than the best person you could be. I know him, I know Beru, and I know you. You are a good person, raised by good people." Biggs leaned in, placing a gentle kiss on Luke's cheek. "Don't let anyone make you doubt that." 

Luke smiled, weak but true. "Thank you."

Biggs smiled back. "You're welcome. I love you."

Lando needed to get out of here. This was a lovely moment, intimate and beautiful, and he was intruding where he did not belong. Sure, Luke had asked for him, but it was clear that he had everything he needed in Biggs. 

It was good, Lando had to admit, to see Biggs and Luke take care of each other. Maybe he could worry a little less, now. 

The trick, Lando was realizing, was in figuring out how to extricate himself from the situation without Luke thinking he was worried about his little announcement. He wasn't, that went without saying. Luke was one of the best people Lando had ever known, and Lando had known his share of excellence.

Come to think of it, maybe that was what needed saying. 

He waited until they pulled apart, before clearing his throat quietly and saying, "I haven't known you as long, but I like to think that I know you pretty well. And I've seen what you're capable of. There is nobody, and I mean nobody, that I would trust with the power you have more than you. I mean that."

Luke gave a grateful smile. "Thank you."

"Of course. And you have my word I'll keep it secret. It's something you decide whether or not you want to share." Lando stood. "But for now, I think you and Biggs need a moment to yourselves. Let me get out of your—"

Luke's hand shot out, circling around Lando's wrist. "Wait, no, please," Luke said to Lando, then shot a pleading look at Biggs. 

Lando looked from one of them to the other. They seemed to be involved in some silent conversation, Biggs raising an eyebrow, Luke nodding, Biggs giving a crooked smile then one short decisive nod in return. 

"I'm sure if you're sure," Biggs said, before looking up at Lando. 

Biggs’ eyes met Lando's and Lando was taken back by the intensity in the gaze. He felt his heartbeat pick back up again. Biggs didn't look that serious often. Whatever came next was going to be important.

Slowly, eyes still locked on Biggs, Lando sat back down. 

* * *

* * *

Biggs' heart was in his throat as Lando's rich brown eyes swept their way into his soul. 

This would work. Biggs knew Luke, he knew Lando, he knew the two of them fit and that he wanted them to fit. Of this, at least, he was certain. 

Biggs was also confident, if not with the same certainty, that Lando wouldn't have a problem with Biggs being with Luke as well. Lando didn't seem the jealous type. Not to mention the man had done so much work to keep their relationship together, it would be a surprise if he wanted to tear it apart now. 

The piece he wasn't at all certain about was the line between him and Lando. Lando was his friend, and he was roguish and flirtatious and charming, but there was no reason to believe any of that was just for Biggs. 

And yet, locked eye to eye with Lando, he couldn't help but hope that Lando felt there was enough space for something between the two of them, as well. 

Biggs looked away first, over at Luke. Luke had wanted to do this now. Biggs knew him well enough to know that didn't necessarily mean he had a plan. Sure enough, Luke was looking over at him with a pleading look in his eyes. 

With an indulgent nod, Biggs took a breath and started talking, "So, Luke and I have been talking, and we have…something of a proposal to present to you." 

"Not so formal," Luke complained. 

Biggs arched an eyebrow and Luke and gestured over at Lando. "Be my guest." 

Luke held up his hands in surrender and gestured for Biggs to go ahead. 

Lando chuckled; it sounded forced. "So, an informal proposal, hm?" 

Biggs smiled crookedly. "Apparently. Luke and I...we realized that when things were hard, we'd go to you. We trust you to help us work things out—what we need to do, what we need to talk about. A few years ago, Luke and I knew each other as well as two souls ever could. But then I...got lost. And then we both changed. And we've been working at understanding but it's...been rocky."

"I think you two have been doing extraordinarily well considering how much you missed of each other," Lando said, leaning in with a furrow to his brow. 

"You didn't miss a thing," Luke said softly. "Biggs was lost and you found him. I was broken and you helped patch me back together." 

Lando shifted. "Well, I just...was doing the decent thing."

"No." Luke leaned forward and put his hand on Lando's knee. "You took me to a garden and kissed me in the middle of paradise." 

"That was before—" Lando said quickly, looking at Biggs. 

"I know. Luke told me. And then I came around and you 'did the decent thing,' stepped back in favor of a claim I didn't even know I was staking." 

Lando gave a helpless shrug. 

"You're a decent man, Lando," Luke said, something clever glinting in his eyes. "But Tatooine, it isn't a decent place. Life is hard-fought, and it teaches you to be greedy." He squeezed the hand on Lando's knee, and Lando's gaze flew over to Biggs, alarmed. 

"It also teaches you to find creative solutions," Biggs said, deliberately looking down at the hand, smiling, then reaching up and tucking some of Luke's hair behind his ear in a casually possessive gesture. "You still love Luke."

Lando started to protest, a note of confusion to his voice.

"I know you pretty damn well, old friend," Biggs said, folding his arms. "I know the signs." 

"I wouldn't—" 

"And you haven't. You've been so, so supportive of us. But listen, Luke is a handful."

Luke tried to make an offended noise, but it was smothered by a laugh. "Hey." 

Biggs smiled. "You are. Magic powers and cosmic battles and all this _drama_. It's a lot for me to keep up with. You could use some more support." Biggs turned back to Lando. "Luke needs all the good people in his life he can get." 

"I'm happy to help. You know I'm here for you, Luke. I hope that my...affections have never made you uncomfortable." 

Luke sighed and looked at Biggs. 

Biggs tried again. "We're looking for something a little more—"

"Oh, for the love of the Mother of Deserts!" Luke exploded. "Lando. Date us. Please." 

Lando's eyes went wide. 

Biggs inclined his head. That was one way of doing it. 

"Date...you?" Lando tried again. 

"If you want to. We want you. That's what we're trying to say. Come on, I know triads aren't as common but it must not be a foreign concept!" Luke took a breath, steadying himself after the outburst. "It's something we're both interested in. You and I were almost...a thing. And I think it would have worked. I'd still like to try it with you." 

"Uh huh." Lando turned to Biggs. "And how do you feel about this?" 

"I want Luke happy. I want you happy too. You both mean the world to me." Biggs didn't mention his own...less than noble intentions towards Lando. One thing at a time. They could have that discussion later. 

"Biggs wants to date you too," Luke said, throwing Biggs a sideways glare. 

Or, fine, they'd discuss it all at once. 

"Biggs?" Lando asked. 

Biggs inclined his head. "I wasn't going to press but..." He sighed, then continued, "I've had the worst sort of crush on you ever since you talked me off that scav ship with your charming smile and gave me a chance to thrive again. It turns out that even reuniting with the love of my life wasn't enough to kill that crush. So I feel safe saying it's a bit more than a crush, at this point." 

"Ah." 

Biggs mused that this was the least he had ever heard Lando talk. He wasn't sure if that was a good sign or a bad sign. 

"I'm not asking for anything, though," Biggs said, glaring at Luke over his attempted protest. "I'm not. I want you to be with Luke, regardless of your feelings for me." 

"I'm fine the other way around, too. If Biggs is the only one you're interested in," Luke was quick to add. "We just...we really like you. And we wanted to let you know this was an option. You know. If you wanted it." Luke patted Lando's knee then backed off. 

"If...I wanted..." Lando shook his head, seeming to come back to himself as he took a breath and said, "If I wanted it? As if there was ever going to be a chance I would turn this down?" 

Biggs was watching Luke, and it filled him with joy to see the way Luke's face lit up, glee blooming over his face. Lando smiled in return, reaching a hand up to brush it over Luke's cheek. "I told you, as slow as you wanted. Now granted, I don't think either of us anticipated adding another body to the proceedings, but if you're still interested in going forward, than I am too." 

"You're sure?" Luke asked. 

"Positive." 

"What about Biggs?" Luke asked. 

"We don't need to sort that out now." Biggs rolled his eyes. "I'm not going anywhere. Let the man enjoy the moment." 

"No," Lando said slowly, turning to Biggs. 

Biggs stomach twisted as Lando's attention slid over to him, eyes running up Biggs' form before they landed on his face. 

"No?" Biggs said, aware he was probably blushing. 

"I think we should handle this now," Lando let his hand on Luke's face drop to settle on his knee, as he turned to face Biggs more fully. "Biggs, I think you're absolutely gorgeous." 

Yes. Definitely blushing. 

"Have since I started flirting with you when those scavengers came to call. But I figured out pretty quickly you were in no place to be looking for romance, so I backed off." 

Biggs took a shaky breath. "Probably for the best. I was a mess."

"Not so bad." Lando gave a rueful smile. "It's also worth mentioning that I was doing my best to be respectable, and it's my understanding that respectable people don't proposition their employees."

Biggs laughed, a little more loudly than he usually would, his voice shot through with nervous excitement. "You were a fantastic boss," Biggs reassured him. "You earned my respect. And my loyalty. I meant what I said, Lando. I want you happy just as much as I want Luke happy. I don't need to be a part of the picture for that to happen."

"And what sort of a fool would I be," Lando murmured, reaching up to trace his fingers across Biggs' cheek, "if I turned down someone who held my happiness in such high priority, hmm?" Lando turned to Luke. "Would you be alright if I kissed your boyfriend?" 

"He's your boyfriend too," Luke said quickly, flashing a smile. 

"Just like that?" Lando asked, raising an eyebrow. "It seems too easy." 

"I don't see any point in making things complicated. Lando," Luke nudged Lando back so he was facing Biggs. "Kiss Biggs. Please. I'd like to see it." 

"You heard the man," Biggs said, mostly to mask his nerves at Lando suddenly being so close. 

"I've always been very good at following instructions," Lando said, and Biggs could hear the way Lando's words were their own front, too. 

"That's a lie," Biggs said, because banter was easier than facing the fact that his relationship to the two most important people in his life was about to change. "You've never been good at—"

Lando moved forward, and kissed him. 

Kissing Luke had come easily again. Luke's had been the first lips to find his, they were the standard by which other kisses were held. Luke was comfortable, intimate, not surprising. Why would he be surprising? Luke was home. Home wasn't supposed to take you off guard. 

Lando, though, Lando kissed like a luxury spaceliner, cruising its passengers past an exploding nebula. It was exciting, it was daring, it was unexpected, and it was all perfectly formulated to make Biggs feel good. The angle of Lando's hand, the pressure of his lips, the warm dance of his tongue sending heat rolling down Biggs' spine. It was heady, it was glorious, it was more than Biggs ever expected. 

Lando pulled back and Biggs was trembling. Lando's hands came up to frame his face. "I hope you don't have any remaining doubts about how much I want you."

"A few more kisses like that and I won't be thinking of very much at all," Biggs admitted. 

"Mmm, that seems like a fine plan to me." Lando leaned in again. 

Biggs’ hand found Lando's shoulder, holding himself steady as he pressed into the next kiss, thoughts going blurry as simple pleasure overwhelmed them. He moaned into the kiss when lips suddenly slid along his neck, Luke pressing up against his side. He managed to hold on a little longer, before he toppled backward against the bed, Luke and Lando chasing after him. 

Finally, finally, he was given a moment to breathe, he blinked back the hazy pleasure to find Luke and Lando kissing over him. They were beautiful, Luke's fingers fanned out over Lando's jaw, Lando's hand gripping Luke's waist. 

"I love you," Biggs said, unable to hold the words inside of him a moment longer. "I love you both so much." 

It was maybe too much to say, but Biggs couldn't bear the thought of leaving the words unsaid. Luke knew. Lando should know. 

"I love you too," Lando murmured into the kiss, his hand reaching over to grip Biggs shoulder. He pulled back from Luke and looked at Biggs. "Truly, honestly, deeply. You two have held my heart for a while now."

"We'll take good care of it," Luke leaned in to kiss Lando again. "Promise. Because we love you."

They were both smiling so wide the kiss was a little messy, uncoordinated, uncontrolled pecks that nearly managed to slide Lando off the bed entirely before Luke caught him. 

Luke grinned at Biggs, his hand fisted in Lando's shirt. "I really hope you weren't lying about Lando having a bigger bed." 

"You talked about my bed?" Lando said, cheerful and lecherous at the same time. 

"With you in it." Biggs winked, matching the tone. 

"We want you in our life. The bed is just a nice perk," Luke said, entirely sincere and not lecherous at all. 

He would learn. 

"You have me," Lando said, as open as Biggs had ever heard him. Maybe Luke wasn't the only one who was learning. 

"Good," Biggs said, pulling Luke down and kissing him, hand on Lando's chest, feeling, finally, like the three of them had sorted out where they belonged. Past and present and future all entwined, supporting each other, breathing together.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed it! This was so much fun to write, and I really fell in love with the way the three of them came together.


End file.
